Change Of Fate
by MihaelKai
Summary: Who said life wasn't a circus? Acrobats falling in artist's laps, fights with the blade... In this crazy world, what will it take to change your fate? NaruGaa, yaoi, AU. Cowrite: xkidrogue & siberiafox
1. Accidents and Introductions

**CHANGE OF FATE**

Change Of Fate, a Naruto fanfic  
Cowritten by: Xkidrogue and Siberiafox  
Pairing: Naruto/Gaara  
Rating: M  
Summary: AU: Who said life wasn't a circus? Acrobats falling in artist's laps, fights with the blade... In this crazy world, what will it take to change your fate? NaruGaa, yaoi.Don't like, don't read. Cowrite: xkidrogue & siberiafox  
Disclaimer: We only own the plotline. And even that... who knows in this world?  
Flames: Will be used to roast the people who wrote them.  
Reviews are MUCH appreciated!

**CHAPTER 1: Accidents and Introductions**

'_Damn them._' The high-pitched screaming of kids that needed a beating badly echoed in Gaara's ears. "Why am I here with you guys again?"

"Show Temari some support Gaara. She wanted us to watch her first show. The one she has with the fans and swords is really good," Kankuro yelled, over the brats running haphazardly around Gaara's legs.

Naruto was waiting just behind the tent. Shit. It was the first day with his new act. And he didn't have it perfected yet. He probably should've been practicing instead of eating ramen the night before. But he could do it! He would be the best!

Temari ran behind the curtains, flustered and jumping into her outfit. "I'm so sorry that I'm late," she said to the ringmaster. "Kakuro talked my brother Gaara into coming, and we had car trouble."

"Your other brother is living with you?" Kakashi, the ringmaster asked.

"No, he just dropped by earlier today for lunch." Temari huffed as she squeezed into the skimpy costume. "We finally got on good terms with him after our Dad died."

'_Well, at least this new troop was finally assembled,_' Kakashi thought. Finding replacements after the previous ones retired from the business was difficult. "We're starting in ten minutes people, shake a leg!"

"Ten minutes!?" Naruto exclaimed, jumping up from his chair and standing on it. "We're going to do great! Dattebayo!"

Lee looked up at Naruto and grinned. "Yosh! The power of youth will lead us to victory!"

Gaara and Kankuro had finally seated themselves at the second row, as close to the stage as possible. Kankuro looked over to Gaara with concern. "Are you alright?"

Popcorn went flying behind them and Gaara remained motionless, his arms crossed and lips thin as popcorn pieces dusted his shoulders. Gaara turned to look at Kankuro. "I'm fine."

That look sent chills down Kankuro's spine.

Gaara's face looked even more stoic than usual as a kid ran by screaming, the mother chasing after him. "YOUNG MAN, YOU GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT! Oh, excuse me," she muttered as she tripped over Gaara's legs. Kankuro saw Gaara's eye twitch.

Naruto glared at the clock. Still five minutes to go? "Meh, Kakashi!! Can't we start yet?" He huffed and sat back down in his seat, tapping his foot impatiently.

"You aren't even the first act Naruto. Calm your ass down," Kakashi said.

He jumped up and glared at him, cheeks poofing out indignantly. "But the sooner we start, the sooner I get to go! Dattebayo!"

"If you don't calm down before your act, you're going to fluster yourself. It's your first show, I know, but I need you to focus yourself," Kakashi sighed. He pulled out a microphone from his pocket and switched it on. "Ladies and gentlemen, the show will be starting in five minutes. Please take your seats."

"Will not!" Naruto huffed, sitting back down and crossing his arms. "Stupid Kakashi-sensei..." he muttered.

Temari chuckled and ruffled his hair. "I'm excited too," she whispered to Naruto.

Naruto's eyes brightened. "Really!?" He started bouncing in his seat.

"Naruto, be quiet," Temari smiled, covering his mouth.

Naruto pouted but nodded, still bouncing in his seat. "Hey, I think they're starting finally," he whispered excitedly as the lights dimmed.

"Thank god," Kankuro muttered. The crowd quieted.

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, apparent in the way it shined in his eyes. "Showtime," he whispered, jumping into the ring.

Naruto started bouncing even more. So close. He _would_ be the best!

Gaara looked around the ring, watching dispassionately at the clown act laid before his eyes. He was a fool to think that he might find some inspiration in a carnival setting. He wanted a cigarette. He glanced to his left, looking at the older man sitting with his family. Whatever. Gaara pulled out his pack and lit the end, ignoring the glare the father gave him. He wondered when Temari was going to come on. She at the very least had talent with her blades and fans. Maybe he could do a piece for her.

Kankuro was smiling. The sight of Gaara lighting up next to all these kids was more amusing than the clowns on the stage.

Naruto peeked out from behind the curtain. So many people! He'd never seen so many people in one place!

Lee was hopping up and down, getting his blood running. "Our act will be the best act tonight, Naruto! I know it!" He whispered.

TenTen chuckled. "You guys are on next."

Gaara was grateful that the onslaught of morons in bad drag was over. The lights spotted onto the ringmaster in the center as Gaara tossed his cigarette to the floor, stomping it under his boot. It wouldn't be the last if he had to watch any more of this.

Naruto jumped out of his seat. "We're gonna rock! Dattebayo!" He walked to just behind the curtain, waiting for their act to be announced.

"And now, boys and girls, ladies and gents, feast your eyes on our brand new acts! First, the amazing beasts of acrobatics, Naruto and Lee!" Kakashi exclaimed.

Naruto walked out and quickly climbed the platform, Lee close behind him. Aerial acrobatics. He could do this. He _would_ do this. Their cue music started and Lee swung out first onto the trapeze. Moments later, Naruto followed him, grabbing onto Lee's arms. The act continued until Lee was to 'throw' Naruto back onto the platform before exiting himself. Naruto landed on the platform but his foot slipped and he wound up falling past the net, into the audience! He braced himself for the impact, but landed on something surprisingly... soft.

If Gaara was looking, he would have seen it coming. If he was looking, he would have noticed the man and his family running away from something. If he wasn't drifting away, he would have heard Kankuro shouting something. But he didn't. He casually looked back to the ring to see a flash of yellow before somersaulting backwards into the next row with a strange creature in his lap. He blinked, looking down at this creature. Wait, creature? He looked around and realized the act had fallen safely into his lap. This was the acrobat?

The blonde shook his head and looked up slowly, and cautiously. 'Those eyes,' Gaara thought in wonder. Like iceburgs and ocean, a vast and mysterious swarm of color. The blonde looked at his surroundings before looking back with a meek smile.

Kankuro had never seen Gaara so shocked in his life as he sat there holding this acrobat, stunned and immobile one row further back than he should have been. Now what?

Naruto blinked up at Gaara. "Eheh... gomen nasai... erm. Very sorry." He looked at Gaara, fascinated. This wasn't the average boy who came to the circus. He must have been here with someone. Naruto felt even more embarassed, blushing slightly as he sat up and hopped off Gaara's lap. "Eheh..." he rubbed the back of his head nervously.

Gaara just blinked, eyes slightly wider than normal. Struck speechless at the turn of events, he gave a slight nod. What the hell else could he do? Other members of the circus came running up to them as he got slowly to his feet and sat back down next to Kankuro. He even managed not to wince as a stabbing pain shot up his back. If he wasn't there to break the blonde's fall, he could have been seriously injured. He looked up at that innocent, embarassed face and the pain dulled. '_My back will heal,_' he thought. '_Besides, it's not everyday that a random beautiful man falls directly into my lap...wait, did I just think that?_'

Kankuro was speaking to the other workers. "My brother will be fine, just forget about it," he said, knowing Gaara hated speaking more than was necessary.

Naruto was still staring at Gaara transfixedly. He owed this man his life. This... unusually attractive man. He mentally slapped himself. No falling for the audience. Hm. But he had fallen in his lap. So that rule was already broken...

Lee shouted from the high step. "NARUTO! IS HE ALRIGHT?"

The crowd was in utter chaos around them. The man Gaara was sitting next to was trying to keep his kids back.

"I'm fine, Lee!" Naruto shouted back, not taking his eyes off Gaara. "Are you alright? I think I landed on you pretty hard... Gomen..."

Kankuro looked at Gaara, who merely blinked in reply, still shocked. Kankuro took a step forward and rested a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Naruto, right?" He nodded, not taking his eyes away from the mesmerizing face in front of him. "Gaara will be fine. I'll have Temari look at him after the show, she's our sister."

"No way! Temari's sister? Gaara as in the Sabaku no Gaara? The artist dude!? Your art rocks! Dattebayo!"

Gaara blinked. This event was so random, so odd that he still hadn't really recovered. "Thanks," he said with his sexy growl of a voice. '_Thanks?_' Gaara mentally slapped himself. Smooth. Real smooth. Why the hell was he always so distant?

Kankuro noticed the discomfort in Gaara's face.

"Hey Naruto, why don't you meet up with us after the show when Temari takes a look at him?"

Naruto blushed more, nodding enthusiastically. "Um, sure! If your back's bothering you or anything, I'm a great masseuse, dattebayo!"

Kankuro looked over to Gaara, still in the process of registering what had just happened. '_He's not angry yet, thank God,_' he thought with relief, but when was he going to quit spacing out? Kankuro knew that Gaara wasn't much of a talker, and he didn't usually like getting open recognition from his work. It was then that Gaara slightly recovered himself.

"Then I will hold you to one," Gaara replied with a slight nod. '_What...the...hell? Did I hit my head?_' Gaara thought incredulously. He was never that forward. Confident, but never flirtacious.

Naruto grinned, seeming to recover his enthusiasm. "You bet! Um... I should probably go... Kakashi-sensei's going to yell at me. Later!" he jumped over the rows of seats, landing on the net before jumping down again and running behind the curtain.

"Jesus, that was a WTF moment if I ever saw one. Are you okay Gaara? You hit the ground REALLY hard. I mean, I heard the loudest thump, I thought you broke through the ground or something. ...Gaara?" Kankuro looked over to see Gaara still looking straight ahead.

He blinked. "I'm fine."

The rest of the show went by rather quickly, finishing with Temari's fan and blade dance. Gaara hadn't stopped smoking since, but watched Temari attentively. Kankuro saw this and smiled. '_He really is getting closer to us,_' he thought, pleased with the turn of events. To get Gaara to come was a feat of its own right; he had to care, at least a little.

Gaara actually smirked when Temari lit the blades on fire as she twirled them with an expert hand. '_She really is inspiring,_' he thought.

Temari finished with a dramatic burst of flame that floated magically on top of one of her fans, before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Naruto, after being yelled at by Kakashi and putting on a sweatshirt, waited backstage embarassedly. He had _so_ fucked up. He watched Temari's act from behind the curtain though. It was awesome. She didn't fuck up. He frowned to himself. He would never be the best, would he?

An enormous eruption of applause came from the crowd and Temari appeared backstage, sweating and panting. "Adding fire to my act really kicked it up a notch, but I nearly set myself on fire at one part."

"Really!? That would have sucked!" '_Almost as much as our act did,_' he added mentally. "But the audience loved you at least!"

Temari broke out in hysterics. "I can't believe that of all the people you had to land on, you landed on Gaara." She saw Naruto's face and smiled. "You'll do better next time, this stuff happens."

Naruto frowned at being laughed at, glaring indignantly. "Yeah, luck is a bitch like that. But I will be the best someday. Dattebayo!"

Temari knocked him playfully on the shoulder. "Atta boy. I should go to my room and check on Gaara. I saw that landing. Tough as he is, he has to be hurting."

He nodded. "That reminds me! I promised him a massage. I think I kinda killed his back..." he rubbed the back of his head nervously.

Temari looked shocked. "He agreed to let you give him a massage?" Her face was alight with wonder.

"What was it he said... oh, right. He said he'd hold me to it!" Naruto announced proudly.

"Did he hit his head?" Temari asked, concerned.

Naruto shook his head. "No... why?" He tilted his to the side in confusion.

Temari shook her head as if to clear out the confusion. "Nothing, he's just doesn't like people very much. He especially doesn't like to be touched. I can't even remember either Kankuro or myself even hugging him." Temari's mind raced. '_No, it cant be,_' she thought, looking at Naruto. Well, he was rather sexy.

Naruto nodded slightly and thought for a minute. When was the last time _he_ had been hugged? "He must just be lonely!" he decided, oblivious to Temari's gaze on him.

Temari smiled. "Gaara doesn't like most people. He usually views them as moronic fakes. Come on," she motioned. "You must have done something to get him to react like that." Temari walked towards her dressing room.

Naruto followed, her words only just then sinking in and causing him to blush. Gaara was rather hot... but why would someone like him like someone like Naruto? It wasn't like he was anything special. He was lost in his thoughts and wound up walking into Temari.

"Hey!" Temari huffed as he knocked the air out of her. She opened her door and walked in, hissing in air. "Shit Gaara, that looks horrible."

Gaara had his skintight black shirt over his head and glanced back at Temari. "It's nothing. You did wonderful tonight Temari," Gaara said.

Temari practicaly beamed before walking up to Gaara and Kankuro, examining Gaara's bruised back. A large purple and green bruise was painting itself on Gaara's pale, muscled skin. At the worst part she noticed that the skin was split open. She quickly grabbed a washcloth and ran it under the sink. "Jesus, you're bleeding."

Kankuro spoke. "He hit the edge of the upper row seats."

Gaara glared. "I said I was fine."

Temari was still wetting the washcloth when she looked back at the doorway. "Are you going to come in?"

Naruto blushed but nodded. "Again, gomen nasai, Gaara-sama." He looked at Temari, staring at the washcloth in her hand. "If you just use that it'll get infected. Give it here, I've got an idea." He held out his hand, pulling a small bottle out of his sweatshirt pocket.

Gaara turned to see this Naruto again. Once again, he felt...something. Something other than the numbness he was used to, though his face gave away nothing. "What is that?"

He grabbed the washcloth, pouring on a few drops of whatever was in the bottle. He walked to stand behind Gaara, trying not to focus on his perfect skin or body. "This will sting a bit. It's lemon, but it should keep infection down." He gently pressed the cloth against the wound, cleaning it.

Gaara felt the cool stinging sensation and shivered. The sweet stinging pain brought his attention back into his body as he watched Naruto nursing his back. "It's really not that big of a deal."

Temari and Kankuro watched, Temari putting sweats over her costume and pulling on the towel around her neck, trying not to smile. She grabbed Kankuro by the arm and hoisted him towards the door. "Kankuro and I are going to go and grab something to drink. Kakashi said he would have food and drinks prepared after the show tonight to celebrate all the newbies." The door clicked shut and they were gone.

Naruto blinked at their sudden departure. "What got into them? And it _is_ a big deal. You're hurt and it's my fault. Sorry... again."

Gaara smirked. "It doesn't matter. I've had worse from training."

"T-training? Training for what?"

"Where do you think Temari learned how to handle weapons? Granted, she uses them in dances, but she learned how to fight from me." Gaara stated simply. The washcloth ran down his spine, wiping away the blood threatening to drip to his black pants. He shivered against the wonderful cold touch.

"Seriously!? That's so cool! I wish I could fight. But I'd probably just wind up killing myself..." he pouted slightly, continuing to clean the wound. He saw Gaara shiver and for some reason found it... alluring. What did he just tell himself about falling for the audience!?

"It just takes practice, and lots of exercise." What was he doing? He was having a conversation? This day really was getting weirder by the second. He felt Naruto's hand brush his side inadvertently and it sent another involuntary shiver coursing down his body, goosebumps dotting along his side. Trying to recover his cool, he spoke. "Out in the stands, you mentioned knowing about my artwork."

"Yeah! How could I not. Your work is awesome. It's like... so... torn and filled with turmoil. I dunno. I guess I just... get it. I've got like... four of your pieces in my appartment. Things cost me a damn fortune. But I still got them, Dattebayo!" He grabbed a roll of gauze tape, "Lift your arms" he said before wrapping the tape around him.

Gaara complied and lifted his arms above his head, trying his hardest not to shiver against Naruto's hands. The last thing he wanted was for this blonde to see him reacting to casual touch. Why was his body reacting like this? He hated people touching him, but this...it felt wonderful. "I'd be curious to see which ones you chose," he said thoughtfully.

Naruto smirked when he saw Gaara shiver slightly. It was more than slightly entertaining to see this obviously stoic person shivering under his touch and he took some sense of pride in it. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. As for which ones I picked, you could come over to my appartment sometime and see for yourself."

'_Shit!_' Gaara thought with emphasis. '_I walked right into that!_' Gaara recovered quickly though. "It would be my pleasure." Gaara felt Naruto finish bandaging him and stood stiffly to his feet, turning to face Naruto, aware that he was giving him a good view of his well-toned abs. "Thanks."

Naruto's eyes traveled up and down Gaara's body quickly before he smiled. "Not a problem. It's my fault anyway. Still want that massage? That's gonna be a bitch in the morning if you don't work the knots out of it."

Gaara looked around the room. "Where do you want me?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow at Gaara's choice of words before coughing and pointing to the couch.

Gaara gracefully lowered himself on the spacious couch and relaxed into it.

"Lay flat on your stomach," Naruto ordered, walking towards the couch as well.

He turned, painfully aware of the beautiful and muscled blonde approaching him. He stared into those deep cerulean eyes, wishing that he could paint that face. Gaara did need quite a few models, there could be no harm in asking later.

"It's rude to stare, you know," he said with a smirk. From the side of the couch, he started to massage Gaara's back, trying not to irritate the surface bruises.

Gaara refused to react to the sore throbbing from Naruto hitting the bruises, keeping eye contact with Naruto. "Only if you don't have a reason," he shrugged.

"You have to relax. Otherwise it'll only hurt." He realized the akwardness of that statement and hastily added "...the bruises."

Gaara attempted to relax into the couch. It was difficult considering he was always tense around his uppper and lower back. Slowly it started feeling better, Naruto's soft hands working on his flesh. "You're good at this," he muttered.

"Everyone has their talents," he replied with a smirk. "This just so happens to be mine. Dattebayo." He paused. "I have to get a different angle to get the other side. Hold still and just relax." In an instant he was on his knees, straddling Gaara's thighs from behind and continuing to massage. "You've got a lot of tension in your back."

'_No shit,_' he thought as Naruto's warmth tingled on his skin.

"So, done any new pieces lately?" Naruto asked conversationally.

Gaara nodded. "A client commissioned one. I finished it yesterday." He paused for a moment. "I haven't really worked on any of my freelance work though. I haven't really had any inspiration up until now." Gaara said, voice husky.

"Up until now? What's your new inspiration then?" he asked with a small smirk, not missing the tone of Gaara's voice.

Gaara sighed. "I really didn't want to come tonight. I hate crowds, but Temari had been working so hard. I didn't know that she added fire to her routine. It was inspiring to say the least. She was beautiful tonight, so I wanted to do a piece based on her performance." Gaara really hoped Naruto didn't tell Temari about all the praise he was giving her, it wasn't like him. Gaara gave a secretive smile though, hoping Naruto couldn't see it. Would he rise to the bait?

Naruto's smirk grew. Was Gaara teasing him? "Oh? You didn't know? Hm, you being her brother and all, I figured she would have told you. Hm, only the fire act? None of the other acts or... performers caught your eye?"

Gaara smirked and turned his head to look at that awe-inspiring face. A muse like that was rare to find, perhaps that was why he was being so forward. "You could say that inspiration... fell right into my lap tonight. If you don't mind my asking, would you like to model for me sometime?"

Naruto returned the smirk easily. "I'd be honored to model for you. Dattebayo."

Gaara lied back on the couch, pleased and content. It wasn't such a horrible night after all.

Naruto, having finished his massage, climbed off Gaara's back, letting his hand subtly trace across Gaara's side as he did so. "Well, I've done all I can for your back."

Gaara raised himself to a sitting position and looked for his shirt. "I should probably grab your number." Gaara looked at his watch, it was still early.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Probably. He grabbed a pen and a notepad off of the table, scribbling down his cellphone number. He paused before handing it to him. "Hm. But you did mention wanting to see which pieces of yours I picked out. When might you want to do that?"

Gaara looked at Naruto's body and shrugged. Why not? It was early and he never slept at night anyway. "What are you doing after this?"

"Original plan? Go home and play video games. Translation, nothing important. Why?" He smirked slightly.

Gaara strode up to him both hands looped through his shirt as he took the paper out of Naruto's hand. He was playing innocent. That was unbelievably sexy, but two could play that game. He was mere inches away as he pulled his shirt back on over his bandages, slowly sliding it down his sides.

Naruto had to repress a groan at the sight. Gaara was a tease. But turnabout was fair play. He leaned in, lips brushing against Gaara's ear as he whispered. "So, wanna go to my place?... Look at some... art?"

Gaara stood back and looked him straight in the eyes. "Do you have a car? I came with Temari and left my bike at home."

Naruto grinned. "Something like that. You wanna say goodbye to your sister and stuff first? I just gotta grab my bag. It's in the same room."

"Yeah, I should probably let them know that they don't have to wait up." Gaara left the room, shocked at having been so brazen. This was...not...normal. He found Temari and Kankuro in some sort of chill lounge speaking with Kakashi, who was hanging on some dark-haired man. "Temari, that performance was excellent, the crowd loved it. You're going to go far with that act," Kakashi said happily.

Temari smiled and saw Gaara emerge, face revealing nothing as he approached. "I'm going. Don't worry about giving me a ride back tonight."

Temari raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Well alright then. Give me a call sometime, okay?" Gaara nodded and Temari sat confused until she saw Naruto and an idea formed. She shook her head. '_No, he couldn't be. Could he?_' she wondered.

Naruto walked into the room close behind him and grabbed his bag. "See you tomorrow, Kakashi-sensei, Temari-san." He left the room with a smile.

Gaara followed quietly and the room froze. '_He isn't. Gaara?_'

Kankuro whispered to Temari. "He had to have hit his head. Have you ever seen him act like that around people before?"

Temari shook her head but smiled. Finally.

Naruto blinked at Gaara. "Is it me or did it get REALLY quiet in there after we walked out?" he asked, leading him out to the back exit.

Gaara shrugged. "Does it matter?"

Naruto contemplated this for a minute. "Nah. Just kinda weird. Anyway, come on." He led Gaara out into the parking lot.

Gaara scanned the lot as he walked beside Naruto, wondering what he drove.

Naruto led him to the far end of the lot where there stood a yellow motorcycle with an orange swirl on the front (A/N: Uzumaki whirl ftw!). "Gaara, meet my baby." He handed Gaara a helmet. "Well don't just stand there, get on!"

So he had a bike too. Gaara sat behind the blonde, holding onto his hips and scooting closer, basking in the afterglow of his scent. Like orange and cloves.

"Hold on tight," Naruto said before revving up the bike and speeding off down the parking lot. "Be warned, I don't drive slow."

"Neither do I," was Gaara's reply.

Naruto grinned, trying not to shiver at the hands on his hips as he sped down the streets back to his appartment.


	2. New Experiences

**CHANGE OF FATE**

_A/N: Aaaannnndd we're back! This is the mutant plotspawn of xkidrogue and siberiafox.  
xkidrogue: I think it's still mutating... Look it just sprouted another tail! Run awayyyyy!!  
siberiafox: -hits xkidrogue on head- Dumbass.  
xkidrogue: -pouts- Meanie!! I'm smarter than you and you're just jealous!  
But sadly, no matter __who is smarter, we __still don't own the Naruto series. Depressing, isn't it?_

**CHAPTER 2: New Experiences**

Naruto turned quickly down several alleyways, mind focusing on the feeling of Gaara pressed so close behind him, before pulling up outside an apartment building. He stopped, parking the bike. "Home, ugly home."

Gaara huffed. "You should have seen my first home after I left my father's." Gaara bitterly remembered it. Being on the streets for a year was not a memory he was fond of. He shook the thought and looked at the apartment complex as they walked up to it. He saw nothing wrong with it at all.

Naruto glanced at Gaara's face before grabbing his hand and dragging him inside and up a flight of stairs. "It may not look bad. But... My next door neighbor is a druggie, my other neighbor is an addict, the girl across the way is a prostitute, and the people above me are aspiring clarinetists. Oh, and the elevator's been broken for a year. It's hell. Dattebayo."

"I understand hell," Gaara said sympathetically, staring at the hand he was holding. It was...different.

Five minutes later, they arrived on the fifth floor. "Come on, this way," Naruto led him down one of the hallways.

Gaara followed, finding himself getting more curious as they approached his apartment. If Naruto understood his artwork, the pieces he selected would make all the difference in what he thought of him.

Naruto fumbled in his pocket for his keys before opening the door slowly. He flipped on the lights to reveal a small loft-style apartment. A door on the side presumably led off to a bathroom. And a kitchenette was against one wall. One wall had four paintings on it, all in tones of reds and blacks. Beneath these paintings sat a bed. A desk was on the opposite wall by the bathroom door.

Gaara immediately walked towards his work, remembering each stroke of the brush he had made with this series. It was his more abstract work, when he was taken with hiding images inside of his work. The shadows of his work filled his memories. They were possibly some of the hardest pieces to let go of; they reminded him of his journey, his solitude, his pain. Gaara looked over to Naruto; he seemed the bright and cheerful type, why would he choose these?

Gaara climbed partially on the bed to touch one of his paintings nostalgically.

"My my, on my bed already? I haven't even had a proper kiss yet," Naruto teased, laughing. Gaara stood abruptly off the bed with a slight blush.

"In case you're wondering, I'm not a walking ball of sunshine. ...Even if my hair might suggest that." Naruto laughed a little and walked over to one of the paintings. "This one's my favorite. You can see the child in the background. He's so lost. So alone..."

Gaara looked closer at Naruto. He saw it. He understood somehow. Perhaps he had been through similar circumstances, being the outsider. How it was possible for this man to be an outsider he had no clue, but it could happen. "You have a good eye. Not many people ever saw that."

Naruto blinked. "I'm not 'many people'. But... It's obvious, isn't it? The whole series has a hidden picture. The lost child, the demon, the fire, the eye." He pointed to each of the pictures in turn. His eyes had taken on a more distant look.

Gaara smirked. At the very least, this one wasn't one of the vapid cows of the normal society, he was definitely something special. But that look in his eyes...he had that very same look once... "Naruto?" he asked softly.

Naruto jumped, eyes blinking back into focus. When he turned to look back at Gaara, his eyes were oncemore cheerful. "No use living in the past though, right?"

Gaara nodded his head in agreement. His past, it didn't matter anymore. He shut away that part of himself a long time ago, regardless of how often he was haunted by it.

"Hey, you want something to eat or something? I've got ramen, ramen, and... um... ramen." He laughed nervously. Ramen was all he could afford.

Ramen. Gaara hated ramen. He usually didn't like eating much at all, unless it had sugar in it. He shook his head. "Do you have anything to drink?"

"Um... water... some ice tea..."

"Whatever, I don't mind." Gaara took a seat at the edge of the bed.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Way to be decisive," he said before walking to the 'kitchen'. He came back with two glasses of water. "I haven't seen any of your work for sale lately. Haven't been doing much not under commission?" he asked.

Gaara took a sip of the water gratefully. "I used to paint more for myself, but one day it just stopped. I could never really get into what I was doing after a while. It just all started to seem so pointless and fake." Gaara looked up at Naruto. "I did however mean what I said. You would make a great model."

Naruto smiled slightly, sitting next to him. "Really? Why me? I'm just... average."

Gaara shook his head. "I don't know. You just seem real to me. When I looked at you I just wanted to paint you. I saw something in those eyes, something most people lack." Gaara touched Naruto's cheek to look into those eyes again, to explore the deep pools set inside his face. Gaara realized what he was doing and let go abruptly. He was talking more to this person than he did to anyone else, and now he was touching him. This was not the way he behaved around others at all.

Naruto jumped at the contact, confusion in his eyes for a moment. He smiled slightly and took Gaara's hand, placing it back on his cheek. "Real? What do you mean? What is this thing most people lack? Everything has a name."

Embarrassed, Gaara admonished himself for getting carried away. When he became passionate about his work, he could forget 'normal' behavior. He didn't move his hand though, and ran his thumb lightly underneath Naruto's eye, even though the contact was making him extremely nervous. "Real. Most people only go through the motions of living out of habit, hollow and shallow both inside and out." He should know, he was one of them. There really wasn't much to live for, he knew that. But why did this person make him want to believe otherwise? "There's just something so vibrant about you." Could he? How would he react? Gaara shook the feeling. '_Don't be ridiculous, he wouldn't want to... why do I want to?_'

Naruto laughed. "Life is made for living so you might as well make the most of it. You never know what will happen until you try something new. Sometimes you just have to take chances. You know?"

Gaara nodded. He knew, but something stopped him. He wasn't used to touching anyone like this and removed his hand. Only one person had ever touched him tenderly, like he loved him... but those memories were not welcome here either. He had never touched someone like he had just done with Naruto at all. It was almost too much to bear.

Naruto frowned for a moment, biting his lip before leaning forwards and kissing Gaara lightly on the lips. He pulled back, eyes sparkling slightly, whether in mischief or excitement was anyone's guess. "Like I said, take chances."

Before Naruto could even finish his sentence, Gaara had him by the shoulders, lowering him to the bed. He chanced a look at Naruto before kissing him, holding him down as he slowly sucked on Naruto's lower lip before running his tongue across, asking for entrance. He had no experience with this and just went with his instinct as much as he could. All he knew was that he liked it.

Naruto's mouth opened reflexively before he smirked into the kiss, flipping them so he was pinning Gaara to the bed, fighting for dominance with his tongue.

Gaara gave in and pushed back with his mouth, holding onto the back of Naruto's neck for support as he ran his hand to Naruto's belt loop on his hip, yanking him further onto the bed and closer to his own body, letting out a shivered breath to the feeling.

Naruto let out a gasp before moaning softly into the kiss. One of his own hands trailed down Gaara's side slowly before slipping up under his shirt.

'_God, he found that spot on my side again,_' Gaara sighed as he shivered to the touch. Gaara lifted his back from the bed to help him take it off. He was positive now that he really had hit his head, but at the moment he was grateful for it. He wasn't about to stop now.

Breaking the kiss for an instant he quickly removed both of their shirts before kissing down Gaara's jaw and neck, moving lower to suck on his collar bone.

Gaara let out a raspy moan, tugging Naruto closer to him and rubbing against him as he slid a leg against his waist. '_If I would have known something this good existed..._' A constant shiver was running through Gaara's body, both from excitement and nervousness.

Naruto threw his hips down, grinding against the red-head below him, moaning at the friction.

Gaara's breath caught in his throat, nipping gently at Naruto's neck before sliding a tongue slightly behind his ear, grazing his teeth gently against his skin. He continued and slowly licked his way down Naruto's neck until he found a choice piece. He would see if Naruto liked it rough or not. He softly licked before collecting the delicate curve of his neck into his mouth and biting down in response to Naruto's thrusts.

He gasped, hissing slightly before moaning once more and grinding against him harder than before. Gaara cried out in pleasure. One hand continued to trail along Gaara's side up to his chest, playing with one nipple.

Gaara sighed and flipped them over so that he was straddling Naruto. He gathered his wrists in one hand before tickling his way slowly down Naruto's ribs, running to the dip in his waist, covered mostly by his pants. He teased his fingers slowly around the lining of his pants and boxers, undoing the button before letting go of Naruto's wrists and licking his way down to Naruto's sweet nipple, teasing it with his mouth. He continued to let his finger linger down into that dip of Naruto's beautiful waist, tickling his skin.

He arched up into Gaara's touches, revelling in the feelings racing through his body. He allowed Gaara to continue for a minute before flipping them once more, trailing a small series of bites down his chest before letting his tongue swirl around the other's navel, dipping in slightly as his hands ran back up Gaara's sides.

Gaara arched up, grabbing a hold of Naruto's hair with one hand while he tried to find something to hold onto with the other. His grip on Naruto's hair tightened as he hit a particularly delicate spot with his tongue.

Naruto winced slightly, but ignored it in favor of the reaction he was getting. He moved lower, licking along the top edge of Gaara's pants before managing to undo the button and zipper with his mouth. His eyes looked up at Gaara questioningly, looking for a signal to continue.

Gaara's breathing was ragged, his other arm finally wrapping itself on the bed sheets while he moved his hand through Naruto's hair, gripping for dear life as he nodded wordlessly. He was far beyond thought in that moment.

Slipping Gaara's pants and underwear down, he let his eyes trace along the entire length of his body, taking in every curve, every detail. He breathed out onto Gaara's tip before licking it teasingly.

A moan pierced the quiet room and Gaara fidgeted underneath him.

Naruto smirked, repeating the breathing and licking combination before taking his entire length into his mouth, sucking lightly.

Gaara bit into his lip until he tasted blood. "Naruto..." he sighed.

Naruto smirked, humming to himself as he bobbed his head along Gaara's length.

Gaara looked down at the sight laid out before him, torn between holding it all back or screaming out of control. How did this end up happening so quickly when he had never even kissed someone before? His lips were still tingling from the sensation. The other sensations were going to kill him, he thought, enraptured.

Naruto looked up, locking eyes with Gaara. How had he wound up here so quickly? He shrugged it off, not really caring. He frowned at Gaara's lack of noise, deciding to change that. He started to swallow with each dip of his head.

"Ah!" Gaara cried, throwing his head back. Damn it, he had to let go of Naruto before he hurt him, but he needed something to grip. Now. He removed his hand from his hair and gripped his own thigh, threatening to claw himself to bloody ribbons. This feeling was going to tear him asunder, he was sure of it. Slowly he could feel the pressure building up inside of his abdomen, burning in it's intensity.

There, that was the reaction Naruto was looking for. He continued with this, noticing Gaara clutching onto his thigh for dear life, he took his hand, placing it instead on the sheets next to him, not even so much as messing up his rhythm.

He had to stop. Now. "Naruto," he breathed heavily, "I...stop...I'm about to..." Damn if it was excruciatingly difficult to form a full sentence.

Naruto only smirked, picking up his pace and the intensity of his swallowing. Gaara saying his name like that was just... too hot.

Gaara's entire upper body lifted from the bed as Naruto's wet heat brought him to that edge; that edge to which he now flew over with reckless abandon. Eyes wide and breath husky as he screamed out Naruto's name, he climaxed, sending shivers coursing like electricity down his body. Gaara recalled a rather difficult conversation he had with Temari about sex. He remembered how he had asked her what it felt like, and she was right; there was an aftershock.

Naruto quickly swallowed, to keep from choking. He pulled back, licking his lips before crawling up and kissing Gaara deeply.

'_He swallowed that? He didn't have to, but it was incredibly... erotic,_' Gaara thought, his sight still fuzzy around the edges. Watching him crawl back up his body like that sent another wave of shaking through his muscles. Naruto's mouth felt wonderous and he found himself still eager, taking the chance to catch his tongue with his own in some kind of elaborate dance. He grabbed the back of Naruto's neck, feeling how soft his hair was beneath his fingers. Like spun silk.

Naruto continued to kiss him, one hand slowly continuing to stroke him. He 'accidentally' brushed his own still clothed erection across Gaara's thigh. "Hm, seems you left me with a little problem..." he whispered in his ear.

Gaara moaned against Naruto's touch. He grabbed Naruto's hand away from his member; if he really wanted that problem solved, he needed to be able to concentrate, especially since he had never done this before. Gaara bit Naruto's lower lip lightly, keeping Naruto's hand away from him. Using both his speed and strength, he flipped Naruto onto his back and threw him roughly into the pillows on his bed. "We can fix that..." Gaara breathed, slightly nervous.

Naruto gasped slightly at Gaara suddenly flipping them. "Y-you sure you want to?" He could tell Gaara was more than inexperienced and didn't want to pressure him, though the pain of his contained erection was killing him.

That sealed it. He was going to do his best to shock the boy underneath him. '_It's all a matter of finding the right spots,_' he thought, letting a devilish smile curl his lips as he slowly slithered lower. Predator and prey. Gaara knew this game very well, so he decided to play to it. He gave Naruto the dangerous look in his eyes, promising dark and nefarious things.

Naruto watched him intently, raising an eyebrow at the look on his face. '_Well, this will be... interesting,_' he thought.

Gaara ran his hands slowly down Naruto's sides, just enough pressure with his nails as he dragged them down roughly. He lapped at Naruto's skin in long, sure strokes before lightly sucking on one of Naruto's hard nipples. Naruto shivered at the nails down his sides before he gasped at the sucking. His breathing quickened slightly. Gaara smiled, lacing his fingers between each of Naruto's ribs and dragging his hands forward in the grooves before slowly climbing lower, biting at Naruto's skin in short, quick bursts.

Naruto gasped before biting his lip. He cursed the sensitivity of his skin sometimes.

Gaara arrived at the blonde's pants, still unbuttoned from the first time before Naruto had flipped him over. Gaara kept his hands busy by tickling and kneading Naruto's skin, finding those sweet sensitive spots as he rubbed his lips over the bulging hardness through the pants. He let his hot breath find Naruto through the clothing and looked up at him, watching his face.

He moaned softly, eyes fixed on Gaara. "Y-you're good at this, d-dattebayo," he panted, biting back another moan at the heat.

Gaara gave him the heat of his stare as he slowly pulled the pants lower, exposing more of his sweet flesh, but still leaving his member covered. One tug and it would all be revealed to him, but he decided to tease, just a little. Making sure that Naruto was watching, Gaara gave him a feral stare as he stretched his long tongue out, barely grazing the sensitive revealed skin with its wet tip.

Naruto sharply inhaled, biting his lip harder. "T-tease," he gasped out, hips involuntarily arching up slightly. So close. So fucking close!

Gaara tilted his head and decided to continue the game, moving his tongue over to the soft skin just above Naruto's hip bone, blowing a chill breeze onto the wetness he left there.

Naruto bit back a whimper. He would not give in, he would not whimper, he would not quiver. He would... oh, fuck it. "Gaara, stop teasing, please," he pleaded, needing more contact and needing it NOW.

Oh, this was rich. Gaara REALLY enjoyed this, hearing Naruto beg, He wanted to make him putty in his hands. Gaara ran a hand to Naruto's chest and teased a nipple with his fingers, pinching slightly as his mouth lowered the zipper. He used his other hand to gently trace Naruto's desperately hard member through the jeans, applying just enough pressure so that he would be able to feel it tickling along the length.

Naruto moaned softly, arching into the touch. He shut his eyes tightly, gathering his resolve. He would not submit like this. He would not be putty in Gaara's hands.

Gaara glared in interest. He wanted to play difficult. Gaara liked a challenge. Removing his weight from Naruto's lower body, he roughly ripped Naruto's pants from his hips, leaving only the boxers in place, the pants tangled at his ankles before putting his lips to Naruto's shaft, an embracing kiss through much thinner cloth. He used the opportunity and gripped Naruto roughly from behind, hands squeezing the delicious muscle there before yanking him closer to his mouth. He knew that being rough everywhere else and overly gentle at the one spot Naruto wanted it most would get some reaction. His forceful hands were the promised potential he wanted Naruto to see his mouth could have, if he reacted right. He looked back up into Naruto's face, a glow in his eyes.

"Ah!" Naruto gasped, eyes snapping open to look at Gaara. He bit his lip again and whimpered at the look in Gaara's eyes. "F-fucking shit."

Gaara's nails dug in ever so slightly to that wonderful flesh. "What?" he breathed.

Naruto groaned. Gaara wanted him to beg? Well, if he wanted begging, he would get it. "Gaara-kun, please. Please don't tease me like this. It's so... cruel. I can't take it anymore. I need you now or it will drive me mad! I need you," he said in the sexiest tone he could manage, looking at Gaara through half-lidded eyes, mouth open slightly as he deliberately increased his breathing slightly.

The only reply was an even more mischevous stare. Gaara never let his intense eyes leave that face as he lowered his mouth back down, enveloping him through that last safety line and giving him the heat of his mouth. His hands slowly came out from under him, fingers dipping into the top rim of the boxers as he slid them around to the front, tickling him as his fingers promised to lower that last safety net.

Naruto shut his eyes tightly again. '_Fuck, that should've worked,_' he thought frustratedly. He made a mental note to have his revenge against Gaara. He arched his hips up slightly. "Please..." he breathed.

There, that was the more genuine, raw, naked behavior he had been waiting for. No more games. He slid the boxers down his legs and straddled those muscular legs as his hand grabbed Naruto and began to slowly pump, licking the tip, sliding it between the divet and cupping the tip with his lips. Building up pressure, he sucked his way down until he had covered the head with his lips, still pumping with his hand and still exploring with his tongue. He hoped the combination was appealing.

Naruto gasped before moaning. "Fuck, yes..." he panted, arching his hips up. "Gaara..." he breathed before moaning again.

Gaara grabbed Naruto's hips and forced them down, keeping them pinned to the bed as he stayed only on Naruto's head. Yes it was still a slight tease, but he was working up the courage to take it all. Naruto was not small by any measure.

Naruto moaned, wanting more. "You're _really_ good at this, dattebayo..." he panted. Fuck, this was driving him insane. But it was better than before. Yes, he would definitely have to have his revenge.

Without any warning Gaara shoved his way down until his mouth met the base, deep throating him and swallowing to massage Naruto with the pressure of his mouth.

Naruto gasped, moaning loudly. "Fuck, Gaara... nnh" He bit down on his lip slightly, transfixed by the sight.

That sound made him work his mouth harder, drawing all the way back up before slamming down as quickly as he could. Gaara once again gripped Naruto's ass to pull him closer with a slight thrusting motion as he moved in time with his mouth.

"Ah... Gaara... faster..." he panted, moaning slightly with each of Gaara's thrusts.

Gaara looked up to see Naruto's face before focusing back down in front of him. He complied and moved faster, pushing Naruto even more roughly into his mouth with his hands. His mouth touched back down to the base and he held his mouth there, working at it with his tongue and throat muscles. He moved one of his hands to slowly caress Naruto's balls.

He bit his lip, arching up slightly but restraining himself. Fuck, if Gaara kept this up, this would be really short.

Gaara was smiling inside his head. '_I found that spot then._' Gaara continued with even more fervor than before. This continued for a few more moments.

"Gaara... I'm gonna..." Naruto moaned oncemore before his climax overtook him.

Gaara was already at the base, all he had to do was let the liquid slide down without using his gag reflex. The taste excited him and he spent a few more moments milking at Naruto, making sure to swallow every last drop before falling to his side and resting his head on Naruto's stomach. "How was that?"

Naruto looked at him through half-lidded eyes. "A-fucking-mazing." He ran a hand through Gaara's hair. "Seriously amazing."

Gaara smirked and landed on his back next to Naruto, stiffening from the bruise on his back. "That was my first time," he whispered quietly. He was still thinking of the kiss as well, but decided not to specify.

Naruto pulled him closer, kissing him lightly. "I guessed as much. You looked pretty nervous. But you're a quick learner." He looked at the clock. It was really late, yet he was oddly not tired. And the streets weren't safe this time of night. "Hey um... listen, you wanna stay the night?"

Gaara's face went back to being unreadable, he could feel it, as if his face had turned to stone. He had an early appointment with the client he had finished the painting for. Gaara checked his watch. He probably wasn't going to sleep anyway. "It's alright, you don't have to do that for me. I have an early appointment in the morning. I should probably go, my house isn't very far from here," he lied. His house was on the other side of town.

Naruto shook his head. "Stay? Please? You can leave first thing in the morning," he pleaded, pouting with his large blue eyes. He had spent much time perfecting that pout.

The appointment was at seven; he only had a few hours. Part of him knew he was just making excuses. Part of him really wanted to stay, but another part wasn't quite so sure he could trust these new feelings, he had been disappointed before. He weighed the decision in his eyes, looking at the cute pout Naruto was giving him. Wait, cute? Gaara sat up running a hand over his head and pinching his fingers to the ridge of his nose. What the hell was wrong with him?

Naruto tilted his head to the side slightly. "You don't have to if you don't want to, I guess..." he began, sounding dejected. Of course, Gaara didn't want him. Why would anyone? He was just a fuck-up. A one-time-use toy. He sighed, looking away sadly.

Gaara saw that look. God it hurt to see that look in Naruto's eyes; it was the look Gaara had for most of his childhood and adolescent years, that look of being alone. He gently turned Naruto's chin to face him, giving him a tender kiss, anything to chase that look away. "I'll stay for a while. I...I'm just not used to...this."

Naruto's eyes brightened and he smiled. "I understand. For a while is fine." He wasn't tired yet... He could sleep the next afternoon.

Gaara just looked at him. He broke the silence by leaning back into the pillows, slowly and stiffly; he must have injured his back more than he thought, it was throbbing. Ignoring that he reached out for Naruto and held him to his chest. "Are you okay with just relaxing?"

Naruto nodded but soon frowned, sitting up again. "You're hurt again. It's my fault. ...Again."

"I said not to let it bother you. I have had much worse. If you wouldn't have fallen on me...that was easily a three-story drop. You would be in the hospital... or worse." Gaara pulled Naruto closer, running his fingers through his soft blonde hair. "You falling into my lap was probably the single most interesting thing in my life the past couple of years."

Naruto smiled slightly. "Thanks. Good to know my existance is interesting. I still can't believe I managed to miss the platform like that. I had the act perfect the night before, dattebayo!" He frowned. "I'll never be the best if I keep fucking up."

"Mistakes define a person. Perfection is boring," Gaara said reflectively. He settled himself more comfortably in the cushions and laced his fingers with Naruto's. "You're still young. You have all the time in the world to practice. You seem determined enough." Gaara thought back to when he was teaching Temari how to handle blades for her act. She would finish each day sore and bleeding. They had to take her to the hospital to get stitched up twice, but only becaise she didn't feel comfortable letting Gaara do it.

"But practicing is hard!" he whined. "And painful. Why can't people just get better by wanting to? So not fair, dattebayo."

Gaara's eyes went dark, remembering his first fights, the ones his father forced him into. The first times he killed. He shook the thought. "Pain is a part of the process. You get nowhere without it, but I understand what you mean. I sometimes wish that my desires could manifest themselves that easily too."

He looked up at Gaara curiously. "What were you thinking about just then? Before you started talking? You got this look on your face... this... hatred. Why?"

Gaara didn't meet his eyes, looking as casual as possible. "My father. He told me once that the pain was the measure of success. I hate to say it, but more often than not that bastard was right; it is." Gaara looked down into Naruto's eyes. "Your footing slipped and you crashed into me; you didn't succeed like you wanted to, yet you got my attention. I respect you. You made a small mistake, and I for one am happy you made one." Gaara thought about it; if Naruto didn't fall into his lap, he would either be at home awake and alone, or setting up another 'appointment' with that man. Whatever, it paid better than painting did. Naruto nodded. "Sometimes mistakes are good. But... most people tend to ignore failures. That's why I love working in the circus. People CAN'T ignore you. Even if they tried. Dattebayo!"

Gaara smiled and felt Naruto's soothing warmth against him, melting the ice that Gaara placed between him and the world. If he wasn't careful, he was going to fall hard. "I couldn't take my eyes off of you. You were definitely better than the clowns. They looked like badly dressed drag queens. I think Kankuro was worried that I might start killing something for a while."

Naruto blushed slightly. "You know, from what I heard from Temari you're like... always cold and violent. But... I don't see it. You're not either of those things. Maybe a bit awkward sometimes, but you're nice! And cool, dattebayo!"

'_And I never want you to see the violent side of me,_' Gaara thought. He accepted the fact that he was a cold person long ago. He didn't like most people, their fake lives and false tongues. Yet he didn't want Naruto to fear him like his siblings had for so long, that is, until their father died. After he died, they didn't go to watch the fights anymore, and slowly they began talking to him. It took a couple years to get to the point they were at now, but they still feared him. He could see it in their eyes. "No one has ever called me nice before. Or cool. Thanks," he said awkwardly.

Naruto grinned before kissing Gaara. "Well maybe no one's ever taken the time to stop and talk to you. Most people are really fake sometimes."

Gaara gave a nod and kissed Naruto back, delicate and slow. Most people never took the time, he was glad that one did. Distantly he wondered if Naruto was getting tired as he squeezed his hand and used the other to casually trace the muscled lines of Naruto's chest.

Naruto shivered slightly under the touch. He nibbled on Gaara's lip, running his own hands down Gaara's sides.

Gaara shifted slightly, relaxed and calm against Naruto's body, realizing with slight shock and wonder that being like this made him sleepy. He kissed Naruto's lips gently in response to Naruto's nibbles.

Naruto's tongue found its way into Gaara's mouth, licking the roof of his mouth. Gaara moaned, his hips rollng closer to Naruto's body and deeper into the sheets. Naruto shifted so he was pinning Gaara to the bed beneath him, not breaking the kiss. Gaara ran his hands down Naruto's torso, gripping the muscles on his back and the soft but firm flesh on his waist. He was wide awake now, that much he was sure of.

The sight of Naruto trapping him, in all his strength down onto the bed made his skin flush and his body grind closer to him.

'_It's rare for anyone to dominate me like this over anything, and yet..._' he liked this, being dominated. It made him feel as if he found an equal.

Naruto let out a slight gasp before smirking at Gaara's reaction and grinding down into him. He reveled in the friction, letting out a soft moan. Gaara's husky voice breathed out in a partial sigh, partial moan. He realized that both of them were hard again, growing against that friction.

"Gaara," the blonde breathed, grinding into him again. Fuck that felt good. He felt himself getting more aroused by the second.

Gaara sealed Naruto's mouth in a fierce, piercing kiss, bruising their lips together and working his tongue deftly into the others mouth. Once again his control went out the window. Naruto gasped at the sudden kiss and he let Gaara's tongue invade his mouth for a minute before pushing his own tongue back into Gaara's mouth, taking control of the kiss. He wasn't about to give up that easily. It was almost like... a game.

Fuck control, Gaara didn't need it anyways. He responded with a moan, his mouth vibrating with the sound. He sunk his nails slightly deeper into Naruto, inviting him to get rougher. '_If he thinks he can top me, he has to earn it,_' he thought lustily.

Naruto winced slightly at the nails digging into his skin, but ignored it in favor of the wonderful sensations coursing through his body. He ground into Gaara oncemore, this time harder. Gaara's breath caught in his throat. Yes, exactly like that. Naruto was definetly not new at this.

Naruto pulled back slightly, breaking the kiss. "You like that?" he asked, grinding again.

Gaara shuddered and moaned, nodding his head. "Yes...fuck...yes..."

Continuing with the grinding motions, Naruto trailed a series of light sucks and bites down Gaara's neck.

Gaara attempted to force Naruto back, getting ready to flip him onto the bed.

He made a disapproving noise, pinning Gaara's arms above his head with one hand. "Now now. Don't even think about it." Naruto bit down on Gaara's neck sharply, just hard enough to break the skin.

Gaara was actually quite shocked at Naruto's strength and the fact that he actually could hold him down. After the initial shock, he felt the teeth pierce his flesh. Pain, pain he was familiar with. In this setting, pain was like another orgasm that threatened to tear him asunder and he let out a small scream of pleasure. This was hot, no, beyond hot, it was smouldering and sexy and depraved all at once. If Naruto wasn't careful, this was going to end even faster than before.

Naruto licked the shallow wound, feeling himself becoming even more aroused by the noises coming from the redhead below him. He'd been with near countless others before... but it was never like this.

Gaara was trying to hold back the noises in his throat, but damn it, they kept leaking out like the traitors they were. The wet and soft feel of Naruto's tongue lapping up his blood like a wild cat just flat did it for him. He wrapped a leg around Naruto's waist and rolled the entire length of his body to meet Naruto's warmth. He nuzzled his cheek agaist his bright blonde hair, basking in the sensations pulsing around him.

"Nnh, oh fuck... Gaara" he gasped at the sudden movement. This was just... too good. He wanted more, but he didn't want to overwhelm Gaara. He settled for grinding against him even harder, moaning softly.

Where was this leading? Did Naruto want to...could Gaara let him? Gaara gasped at the sensation of Naruto grinding him deeper into the mattress. Gaara continued rolling his body much the same way a bellydancer might, knowing he was not going to last long.

"Nnnh...Naruto," he breathed into Naruto's ear.

Naruto paused in his motions for a minute, his need overwhelming. "Fuck... Gaara... I need you. All of you. Now." He kissed him lightly. "May I?"

This was it. Naruto did want to do this with him. Something oddly akin to fear rose in Gaara's gut, but he realized that there was no turning back. His body wouldn't let him say no even if he wanted to stop. The words 'may I' were somehow tied to a string that pulled things deep in his body and all he could do was swallow and nod before nuzzling his head into Naruto's neck. The fact that Naruto was still using all his strength to hold him down cemented it down for him.

He saw the fear in Gaara's response and loosened his hold, kissing him gently before whispering. "I'll be careful. I promise." Naruto pulled away for a minute, fishing around for something in his nightstand drawer. He pulled out a small bottle of lube and squeezed a small amount onto his fingers before laying back down. "You sure it's alright?"

He didn't need to ask, it was like jumping out of an airplane; once on the way down you couldn't flap your arms and get back in. Seeing Naruto coat his fingers in the lube made him shiver, he was too sexy for his own good. No, he wanted this. No one else had ever pulled these sensations, both physical and mental, through his body like this before. He pushed back the anxiety in his mind.

He nodded again, putting a sense of urgency in his voice. "Fuck me Naruto."

A shiver ran down his spine at the words and he pressed a finger to Gaara's entrance. "This will feel a little weird at first, but just stay relaxed and it'll get better, dattebayo." He slowly slipped the finger in, watching the other's face for any sign of discomfort. Gaara was hot, there was no denying it, and he wanted to have the chance to fuck him again and again, not have him scared from one event.

"Oh god..." Gaara breathed he shivered his pleasure against Naruto's gentle hand. This was so...odd, but it was phenomenal at the same time. Gaara felt his body melt into the sensation, grabbing Naruto's arm and forcing him deeper.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at this before smirking slightly. He added another finger, scissoring them while pumping them in and out slowly. Gaara grabbed a pillow and covered his mouth with it as he loudly moaned into it, back arching, inviting the sensation to override his system. Yes, it hurt a bit, but it hurt in a way that sent his pleasure sensors begging for more.

Naruto snatched the pillow away from him. "I wanna hear every noise you make," he whispered in his ear, adding a third finger and pumping them faster.

"Ahhh!!" Gaara sat up, bruising his lips against Naruto's. He felt crazed, like he was slipping his skin. He needed more of Naruto's flesh touching his skin.

He pulled out the fingers, deeming Gaara sufficiently prepared, and placed his member at Gaara's entrance instead. He pushed in slowly, moaning at the sensation of the tight heat.

Gaara grabbed Naruto's face, forcing himself to look into those lapis lazuli eyes as he felt the searing heat pierce his body. He used those eyes to ground him back into his body, and also so that Naruto could see every expression in his own eyes as they lit across his face. Yes it hurt, and he felt as if he was being filled utterly and comletely, but he liked it all the same.

Naruto pulled back and thrust in, searching for Gaara's prostate, the spot that would have him seeing stars. He watched Gaara's face intently, fascinated by the emotion in his previously cold eyes. "Nnh, Gaara..." he moaned, thrusting in again.

"Shit!" Gaara screamed. It felt so good... He felt Naruto freeze and he grabbed him by the ass, pulling him into himself as hard as he could. "No, don't stop!"

Naruto gasped at the sudden action before nodding. "Just tell me..." he said, setting a pace with his thrusts.

Gaara's vision blanked out into thousands of small balls of light, falling like snow in front of his vision. This transcended words. This made Gaara slink a hand up Naruto's slightly damp muscled back, pulling him closer to his mouth so that he could lick, kiss and bite his way down Naruto's neckline. His breath was ragged as he let Naruto feel the hot air against his ear, as he let Naruto listen to the tiniest fluctuations of moaning in his voice, already husky and thick like honey from the sex.

His breath hitched at the small biting motions. "Found it, I guess," he panted. He picked up his pace slightly, aiming for the spot that had caused such a reaction in the red-head.

"H...harder...you're not going...to break...me" Gaara panted. He felt the similar feeling from the first time swell up in his navel, building pressure. Wanting to see a reaction from Naruto, he wrapped his legs around his waist and rolled his hips up to meet the thrust, squeezing him tighter.

Gasping, Naruto moaned loudly at Gaara's action. He picked up the speed and force of his thrusts oncemore, slamming into him repeatedly. This continued for a short while, Gaara's breath catching in his throat with every thrust, sweetly moaning with reckless abandon. He didn't give a shit if anyone heard, though he had never pegged himself as a screamer. He hadn't pegged himself as the sub in a relationship either, but he was glad he was. This was too... fuck those pretty words, he loved the feeling of the bed banging against the wall while Naruto pounded him ruthlessly. He was getting closer to that euphoric explosion with every thrust. Naruto's pace grew more frantic as he felt his own climax approaching. This was good, _really_ good. Fuck, he was so close...

Gaara felt the pace alternate to a more frantic one and began thrusting harder with his hips, screaming out Naruto's name. Broken fragments of Gaara's name fell from Naruto's lips intermixed with moans as he continued to pound into him. Reaching between them, he pumped Gaara in time to his thrusts, determined not to come before him.

Gaara gripped the headboard and screamed out even louder. Sensation overload made his vision go white and fuzzy, every nerve in his body singing as if he had a cord pumping electricity into him. Even the cut on his back sang out with pleasure as he felt his release hit his burning skin.

With one more thrust, Naruto came deep inside Gaara, crying out his name. He barely had enough strength to pull out of him before collapsing to the bed. "Fuck... that was..." he trailed off, unable to think of the right word to express how mind-numbingly amazing it had been. He pulled Gaara closer to him, kissing him.

Gaara was vaguely aware of lips brushing his and he reflexively kissed back, his mind attempting to sort through and process the sensory overload in his brain. "I can't see shit right now," he panted, cuddling closer to Naruto. The boy had literally fucked him senseless, and he thought that it was just a saying.

Naruto laughed slightly. "Yeah, that was intense. Especially for your first time. Just rest." He wrapped an arm around the other.

Gaara finally caught his breath, endorphins fading, body pleasantly sore, reminding him of what he had just done. Even more amazing was the fact that he could feel himself slowly slipping into sleep. It was never that easy. Vaguely he thought that he should probably be cleaning up, but he couldn't bring his body to obey him. Naruto pulled a blanket over the two of them, kissing Gaara on the forehead before drifting off to sleep. Gaara was going to be seriously sore in the morning...

--


	3. Aftermath

_A/N: Nope, still don't own Naruto. Wish we did. But we don't.  
Xkidrogue: -cries- So cruel is this world!  
SiberiaFox: -hits on head- Baka.  
Xkidrogue: -glare, kicks in shin-  
SiberiaFox: Ow!  
Xkidrogue: -smirk- Wimp._

**CHAPTER 3: Aftermath**

Gaara woke with a start, taking a moment to remember where he was when he saw Naruto snuggled into his chest. He looked at his watch. It was still really early, but he would barely be able to walk home and shower before his client came in for their painting. Slowly and cautiously, he slid out of the bed so as not to wake Naruto. He stopped and leaned over the bed to look at that peaceful, beautiful face. He swept Naruto's bangs from his face and laid a delicate kiss on his forehead. This guy, there was something so alluring to him, something that almost immediately broke apart years of shields that Gaara had placed around himself. He had just had sex with a near stranger, as well as giving him his first real kiss. Gaara shook his head of the thought. He soon found his clothes and took a moment to wash himself off in the bathroom before emerging fully clothed, note in his hand. He set it on the nightstand where Naruto would find it and quietly left him sleeping, making sure to lock the door.

Naruto woke up about half an hour later. He looked around. Gaara... left? That saddened him slightly, but he knew Gaara did say he had an early appointment. He noticed the note and picked it up. The note had a hastily scrawled address on it, an uptown address complete with a number labeled as 'personal cell'. Underneath it read, 'I still need a model, especially after finding a muse'.

Naruto smiled. '_Muse, huh?_' He could deal with that. He went off to get showered and dressed. He had to be ready for the show that night, and training started in an hour. That was a must... especially after his little... disaster. He saved the number into his phone before leaving the house. He would call him later.

Naruto arrived at the circus right on time. Lee was already there, busy swinging from the trapeze. Temari was in the corner, talking to Kakashi as she tried to adjust something with the swing of one of her swords. He walked over to Kakashi to let the man know he was there. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei!" he said cheerfully.

"Naruto, hey. I'm sorry about exploding last night, but if you would have injured a customer, I could of had a lawsuit on my hands. Good thing you landed on Temari's brother huh? Was he alright?"

Temari raised her eyebrows interrogation-style at Naruto. '_Yes Naruto, was Gaara alright?_' she thought with a smile.

Naruto disguised a smirk. "Yeah. He should be fine. Amazing what a backrub can do... dattebayo." He shot Temari a glance that suggested more than just a backrub had happened. "It's alright Kakashi-sensei. It's my fault."

"Well then, hop to it! I have business...erm...elsewhere..." Kakashi's eye lit up as he crept away to his office.

Temari just shook her head. "He acts like he's being so sneaky, but I caught him with the lion tamer, Iruka, over a week ago." Temari gave Naruto a piercing stare. What the hell happened last night? She was grateful that Naruto was still alive, but now her mind ran with the suggestions. Gaara would never go to Naruto's house with the intention of... that. He hated touching people, he had only just started giving her and Kankuro awkward pats on the back and hand shakes. Her eyes threatened to pierce right through him. '_What on earth did he do to my brother?_' she thought protectively. Temari worrying about protecting her brother, that was definitly new. He could usually take care of himself.

Naruto shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, unsure what to say. "Erm... yeah...? What's with the look?"

"Nothing. So Gaara saw the artwork you bought of his?"

"Yeah. He says I have a keen eye for some of his pieces. I think I'm one of the only people who's noticed the drawings in the backgrounds. I dunno why you were always saying he was quiet or dangerous or anything. He's really nice." '_And anything but quiet..._' he thought.

Temari motioned a finger over to the corner away from the others. Temari waited for him to follow. Naruto followed hesitantly. Temari was the scary one, not Gaara. In his opinion at least.

Without warning, Temari grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer. "He is dangerous, when he's provoked. And he's quiet around people he doesn't know. He doesn't know you, not enough to be acting like that." Temari was happy about this last night, that Gaara was breaking out of his shell, but now, she was worried--for both of them. "Listen, I know that you're an okay guy, I like you just fine, but I also know your track record with other men. You're not really a one man only kind of guy. Did anything happen last night?"

Naruto looked away, not answering her question. "He wants me to model for him, you know. Says I'm his muse. He's just so... different. It's nice." It was true, he did sleep with... several other men. Often. But with them it had never been as... intense as it was the night before. There was just something... special about Gaara.

Temari couldn't keep the shock off her face. "You didn't!" She whispered frantically. She shook Naruto, to get him to look at her. "Naruto, tell me you didn't..."

Naruto's eyes snapped up, sudden determination present in them. "Yes, I did. And you know what? I'd do it again. Any chance he gave me. There's something different about him. And I... really like him!" He couldn't bring himself to say 'love'. Even though, he had the nagging feeling that that's what the sensation was. He'd only known Gaara for a day, after all.

Temari let him go, grabbing her head. She could tell he was sincere, but this was bad. She was close to tears when she started speaking again. "Naruto, you have to promise me you won't hurt him. You have no idea how long it took me and Kankuro to get him to this point. He hasn't loved anyone ever since...since he was a child." She was about to mention their uncle, but he didn't need to know that. After everything Gaara had been through, if Naruto dug the knife in deeper, he wouldn't recover. She would have to put him away. It was pins and needles after their dad died to get Gaara into a semi-human state after what that bastard did.

"Something like this could ruin him."

Naruto nodded. "I won't. I couldn't. Um... now I really gotta change so I can practice." '_And call Gaara,_' he added mentally.

Temari grabbed his arm. "I really hope you mean that." Temari let him go and tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I mean it. Dattebayo!" He turned and left to get changed. Once changed, still in the dressing room, he pulled out his phone, calling Gaara. '_Please pick up, please,_' he thought desperately. The phone kept ringing. Naruto was about to hang up when the line connected.

"Hello?"

"Gaara? It's me, Naruto."

"Naruto? Hey." Gaara rearranged some of the cavases in his studio before bringing his attention to the phone. "I'm sorry I left without saying anything, I didn't want to wake you."

"It's fine," he dismissed it. "What're you doing now?" He didn't really have any purpose. He just... wanted to talk.

"I'm sorting through some of my older work, my manager wanted me to have everything set out to be viewed for a few clients. One of them wants to do a showcase on me for the art museum they just built."

"Dude, you're gonna have your stuff in an art museum!? That's so cool! Dattebayo!" He could say he actually knew someone semi-famous now. That was amusing.

"I guess." The line beeped. "Hang on one second, okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

The line clicked and there was silence for a minute. It clicked back in just a moment, but Gaara's voice had changed. It seemed, harsh somehow. "Hey, I'm sorry I have to go. Business."

Naruto blinked. Business? Wasn't this his private line? "You're lying. Whatever though, not like I'm not used to people lying to me. Call me back later, I guess?"

Gaara was quiet for a moment. "I'm not lying. I have to take this, it's important." Gaara's voice softened. "When are you available?"

He smiled slightly. "Um, after the show. So like... after nine?"

"Can I make you dinner at my place? I know it's late for dinner, but..."

"Sure!" Naruto replied enthusiastically. "I don't usually eat till almost ten anyway. I'd like that, though."

"Alright, I'll see you then. Bye."

"Bye!" He smiled and left the dressing room. Kakashi was going to kill him for not coming out of the room right away, but it was so worth it.

Gaara reluctantly hung up and switched the call. "Yeah, tell them I'll be there at five for the match. Bye."

--

_A/N: Sorry this chappie is short. It sort of has to be. Cliffie much? Next update... soon! It gets even better! In the next chapter: Gaara's house? What 'match'? The plot thickens! Stick with us!_


	4. Dinner and Dessert?

_A/N: We know we have people who have us on story alert and favorite. And we love you for it, but guys seriously. REVIEW! More reviews faster updates. Seriously. We've got about 350 pages in word of this thing done already. You wanna read it or not? Thankies!_

**CHAPTER 4: Dinner and... Dessert?  
**  
After the show, Naruto was tired as hell, but he had managed to not fuck up again. After changing out of his performance clothes he pulled the address out of his pocket, only just noticing what part of town it was in. "Shit... he must have serious money..." he muttered to himself, placing the address back in his pocket and hopping on his motorcycle. Twenty minutes later he found himself looking for house numbers. He stopped at the driveway of Gaara's house, looking up at it in awe. Aside from the grounds that could easily hold four more houses with spare room for yards, the mansion-home itself was phenomenal. "Holy. Fucking. Shit." He drove up the driveway and walked to the door before pausing akwardly. After a bit of hesitation, he rung the doorbell. This was it.

Gaara heard the doorbell from upstairs and hit the intercom. "One minute, I'll be down there shortly." He pulled the needle through the last bit of skin before tying it off and wrapping the gauze around his hand and arm. Fucker practically slit his arm open from the area between his thumb and fingers nearly to his elbow. He finished taping it up and threw a jacket on to cover it up before running downstairs and to the door. This was it. He opened the door, with a small smile. "Hey. Come in."

Naruto smiled, looking up. "Hey. How're you?" He froze. "What the fuck happened to your eye!?"  
"Oh." Gaara was about to lift his arm to cover it, but remembered the bandage on his arm and kept it down. "I... I walked into a door this morning when I got out of the shower." _'God damn that was stupid,_' Gaara berated himself.

"Riiight." Naruto sent him a glance that suggested he didn't quite believe him but shrugged it off.

"Well, can I come in, or are you going to make me wait out in the cold all night?"

"Yeah, come in." He moved out of the doorway and led him to the kitchen.

Naruto marveled at the sheer size of the place. It was a stark contrast to his loft. Once they were in the kitchen, he turned to him. "Hm, do you have any raw meat? A steak cut or something?" he asked. "If there's one thing I'm good at, it's making shit like that disappear quickly. Bruises, cuts, and scars."

"No, I don't need anything for it, bruises go away pretty quick on me anyway, and I never really scarred easy." Gaara silently thanked whatever divine favor granted him that one, or he would have looked like a pincushion by now. "Besides, I have dinner ready. I hope you like it." Gaara sifted through the thorough mess in his kitchen, leaving the flour and other things on the counter. He could clean it later. He pulled out two plates, both filled with rosemary lemon chicken with red onions and Gaara's favorite angel hair pasta that complimented the chicken. He nodded over to the dining room and set them on the table beside the wine and bread. "Are you a fan of Italian food?"

Naruto's eyes widened when he saw the food. "Did you actually make this!?" he asked in disbelief. He'd only seen food like this on shows about fancy restaurants.

Gaara scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, but I'm warning you now, I'm a huge garlic fan. Is that alright?"

"Oh, no, the garlic, it will burn me and destroy my immortal vampyre soul!" Naruto said dramatically, placing a hand on his forehead and pretending to swoon before laughing. "Seriously, though, I love garlic." He gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks."

Gaara sat Naruto down and poured them some wine before taking a seat next to him. "So, how did your performance go this time?"

"I managed to not fall into the audience tonight. So... that's good I guess." Naruto shifted slightly when the glass of wine was placed in front of him, but Gaara didn't mention it. If he didn't want to drink that was his choice.

Gaara smiled before taking a bite of chicken. He put significantly less food on his plate, but he nibbled on bits and pieces. "How did Temari do?"

"She was awesome! Someone in the audience actually fainted at the end. She's really good at that. And," he paused to take a bite of his food. "This is REALLY good!"

"Thanks. I don't hire any help around here except for a maid service every other week, so cooking is up to me." Gaara was just now realizing that this feeling in him was happiness, especially after realizing that Naruto wasn't angry at him like he was on the phone earlier. They ate in silence for a short while, some ambient music playing in the background.

"Sorry if I was a bit... hormonal on the phone earlier. Your sister kinda chewed me out right before I called." It was bothering him, how he had accused Gaara of lying so easily earlier.

Gaara raised his brow. "Why would Temari chew you out?"

He looked down sheepishly. He wasn't about the admit the real reason why Temari was so worried. He didn't want to ruin this and make Gaara think that he was just another guy to fuck. He wasn't. "Because she's your older sister? And she saw us leave together last night. She's really fucking scary sometimes."  
Gaara's face went blank and his eyes switched to furious and intense. The woman had no right to meddle. "She's weak. What I do in my spare time is none of her damn business either."

Naruto was slightly frightened by the look in his eyes. "She just doesn't want you hurt. She says... well... It's because I..." he sighed. "Nevermind. But don't worry about it. Let's just eat. Forget I mentioned it. I didn't want to upset you."

Gaara could see that Naruto was hiding something, but he decided not to push it; besides, he had his own secrets. "You didn't upset me. Temari simply isn't close enough to me to be that...caring I guess."  
Naruto nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that much I gathered, but... why not? I mean, you don't have to answer. I'm just curious."

Gaara sighed. He didn't have to divulge everything, but he felt like Naruto would appreciate him sharing something of his past. He had no idea what Temari told him about their past if she even said anything, part of the reason he was so angry. "My father and...my uncle... were sick. Nothing ever happened to Temari or Kankuro, but they just sat there and watched the crap those two pushed on me for my entire childhood. After my uncle disappeared, I left the house and was homeless for a year." Gaara hated those memories of being on the street, at least what he did remember. He wasn't exactly all there at that time. "They only set out to help me, to see if I was alive or dead after our father died. I saw them by accident one day, and that is when they started talking to me again. They wouldn't have minded it if they never saw me again, I'm sure, but I think when they saw me they felt guilty. Love is not guilt." There. He said something, without really giving him anything.

He nodded. He knew that feeling, being unloved. "Oh..." was all he could manage to say. What could he say to that? Homeless for a year? "That must've been hard on you."

Gaara simply shook his head. The only feelings he knew back then were animalistic instincts, feeling was almost too complicated for him back then. Once in a while it felt as if some emotions were trying to release themselves after the incident with his uncle, but they never quite broke through the crazed state he was left in. "I barely felt anything at all. It just was. The card I was dealt. My father tried to pound out his idea of weak feelings from me since birth." Gaara looked away. "He didn't want me as a son that could feel. So instead he taught me pain."

Naruto scoffed, his eyes taking on a darker shade, no trace of his smile on his face. "Almost sounds nicer. What I would've given to not be able to feel when I was younger. Anger, punishment, betrayal, hurt, jealousy, weakness, defenselessness, pain." His eyes took on a haunted tone as he spoke. One last emotion flickered across his face before he looked back at Gaara, smiling again as if he had not just had his little... break. "But best not to dwell in the past, ne?"

Gaara knew those feelings well in reality, once he thought about it. It had just been a long time ago, almost beyond memory, but not enough to truly forget. Seeing that darkness swallow up Naruto's eyes like that was odd, as if it shouldn't have belonged to the brilliant life that was Naruto, yet somehow that look in his face made him all the more beautiful. The smile he gave him to make up for that darkness was there, but it was obviously fake. He let it go. They both had a painful past, and he wasn't going to push Naruto to relive it. "Exactly. I am no longer homeless, and I am no longer completely without feeling."

Naruto smiled slightly. "That's good." They finished eating. "Seriously, where did you learn to cook like that? The food was awesome. Dattebayo!"

Gaara looked away with a slight smirk. "After I found a place to live and could afford to cook for myself, I kind of got addicted to watching the food channel. It's stupid really, I don't usually eat much out of habit." _'Except for sweets_,' he thought to himself. No one really knew, but Gaara held a definite sweet tooth. "But I just really liked cooking."

He laughed slightly, loving the look of Gaara actually smiling even if it was just a small smile. It was a start. "The food channel? That's awesome! It's not stupid. It's cool. I can't cook to save my life. Except for like... two things. Last time I tried to cook something... let's just say I had to redo the kitchen wallpaper."

Gaara laughed. "I didn't start out great either. My first experiment with macaroni and cheese was a disaster. I burnt the pasta."

_'Gaara laughing. I like that. He should do that more often,_' Naruto thought. "What? How do you burn pasta!? You put it in water. Things in water don't usually burn..."

Gaara scratched his head, obviously embarassed, finishing the last of his wine. He noted that Naruto was not drinking anything but the water. "I forgot about it on the stove. The fire alarm reminded me."

"Nice. Very nice. Yeah, apparently it's a bad idea to have a roll of paper towels next to a stove. Who would've guessed?" Naruto laughed.

Gaara laughed with him, stopping when he realized what he was doing. Gaara, laughing? The concept of happy laughter was so foreign to him that it seemed odd that he could even make the sound. Gaara looked up at Naruto in wonder. He was an angel, he had to be. Gaara looked away with a slight blush, clearing his throat. "If you're done eating, I can take your plate."

"Um, yeah." Naruto got up and walked around the table, kissing Gaara lightly. "You're cute when you blush like that," he whispered in his ear before standing back, leaning against the side of the table.  
Gaara's blush became almost as red as his hair and he stood, taking the plates into the kitchen. At this point he was far too embarrassed to say a damn thing.

Naruto laughed softly, following Gaara into the kitchen. "Don't be so embarrassed. It's true."  
Gaara was suddenly very interested in cleaning up the dishes and the kitchen. He got to the island, wiping of the counter when he felt movement behind him. He stopped, leaving the cloth hanging off the side, wrapped around the flour he had yet to put away.

Naruto smirked, walking up behind Gaara and placing his hands on the other's waist before turning him. He kissed him gently yet deeply and firmly.

Gaara wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck cautiously, still embarrassed from blushing so hard, from blushing at all. Soon he fell into the kiss, running a hand down to the small of Naruto's back and pulling him closer.

Naruto gasped, pulling Gaara even closer to him, grinding against him slightly.

Gaara's breath caught in his throat and he started sliding Naruto's shirt up over his head. He had to see more of him. His desire to touch him again had been gnawing at him all day.

Naruto broke the kiss for an instant, helping Gaara remove his shirt before kissing him again, licking the roof of his mouth. Next thing his brain registered, they were sliding down the island, still kissing.

Gaara was reaching for the top of the island to keep them from falling, attention fully absorbed in the kiss when instead of grabbing the counter top he grabbed a cloth. They continued their slide downward with Naruto placing himself over Gaara when their vision was suddenly flooded with white.

Naruto gasped, pulling back and coughing as he breathed in some of the substance. "What the hell? Is this... flour!?"

Gaara froze and attempted to blink away the substance. He unfroze and looked down at himself to see he was covered in flour, his black jacket now white. He looked over to his hand and and the bag on the floor. _'Damn it, the towel knocked over the flour,_' he thought angrily. He was pissed until he looked up to see Naruto's face and body covered in the white powder, desperately trying to shake himself off. He froze again, but this time to keep the smile off his face. The tactic failed miserably and he found himself laughing yet again, a full-throated roar.

Naruto looked up from his attempt to shake the substance off and promptly burst out into laughter as well. Gaara's jacket... and hair... and face... he was covered in flour!

"You...you look so ridiculous!" Gaara laughed, attempting to catch his breath.

"Hypocrite!" he replied, laughing and throwing a handful of flour at him.

Gaara stopped laughing, spitting the flour out of his mouth and wiping it off his face. A fearsome look overtook his features.

Naruto backed up slightly, grabbing another handful of flour and holding it up, ready to throw. "Stay back... or I'll throw this..."

Gaara's glare deepened to an almost demonic aura, his mouth stretched in an angry thin line. Naruto let out a small squeak of fear, falling back onto his ankles.

_'Exactly what I was waiting for_,' Gaara smiled, his face mischevious. He pounced on Naruto before he realized what was happening and white-washed him with the flour.

"Gyah!" Naruto coughed and spluttered, trying to rid his mouth of the flour. He threw another handful at Gaara, trying to force the redhead off him. "Your hair looks almost pink with all that white in it. It's like... baby red."

Gaara kept him pinned down to the floor easily, tossing more four onto him. Gaara licked Naruto's lips. "The white gives you a nice, feminine appeal."

Naruto blushed, the blush seeming all the more vibrant due to the flour. "I'm not a girl!" he pouted, hooking a leg around Gaara's and flipping them so he was on top of Gaara. "Besides, I don't do submissive."

Gaara's arm twitched beneath the bandages from the weight of being rolled on. He looked back up and threw Naruto back down on his back with a smooth grace, the flour kicked up in a small cloud around them. "Then prove it." The game... was on.

One hand quickly skimmed down Gaara's chest and stomach before giving him a light squeeze through his pants as he flipped them again. "Fine, I will." A challenge was always fun.

That was it, just because he liked the other night did not mean that Gaara wasn't capable of being the aggressor. He tried his best to ignore the growing hard on in his pants and flipped Naruto onto his back again, grabbing his wrists and holding him down effortlessly. He wanted to show Naruto his dominant, more aggressive side. Of course that didn't mean that wanted to stop being the uke. He'd never admit it out loud, but he actually... liked it. A lot.

Naruto squirmed slightly at the restraint. This little 'battle' for dominance was seriously turning him on. But he would not give in. He bit his lip before thrusting his hips up, grinding into Gaara, using the motion and shock of the action to flip them once more. He smirked down at Gaara.

They tumbled around in the flour until they were both panting for air. Gaara decided to quit playing around. He wanted to be on top, and so he was. He gave Naruto his full strength and pinned him to the floor, delighting in the way the moisture from Naruto's skin was causing the flour to cling to him. Naruto was struggling underneath him raising up slightly, but this time he was not going to let him get up as he forced him roughly to the floor. Gaara let the heat climb into his eyes and stared down at the man struggling beneath him.

Naruto struggled a little more before he gave up, panting heavily. He looked up at Gaara and the look in his eyes turned him on even more. "Stubborn," he muttered.

"Damn straight," he growled. He was straddling Naruto at the waist, holding his arms securely above him. Gaara ground into Naruto, squeezing him between his legs as he leaned forward to lick Naruto's nipples. He took one by his canines and lightly squeezed it with his teeth, his tongue running across the tip as it hardened.

Arching up into the touch and biting back a moan, Naruto gasped. Gaara bit down harder, eyes searching Naruto's face as he squeezed him between his legs again with more pressure than before.

Naruto hissed slightly before letting out a moan. "Nnh, Gaara," he bit his lip again. Sensual torture. Pain and pleasure. The combination was driving him mad.

Naruto's moan brought a shiver down Gaara's spine, rippling in excitement at the response. He dragged his tongue up to the dip in Naruto's neck, gently kissing it and wetting his skin before blowing cool air onto him. Gaara shifted his weight lower and began to undo Naruto's pants with a free hand.

Naruto shivered at the cold sensation increased by the wetness from Gaara's tongue, letting out a slight whimper when he felt the hand undoing his pants. "Gaara..." he breathed, pushing up into his touch.

Gaara tightened his grip on Naruto's wrists and gently took his skin between his lips, sucking and nibbling as he let his fingers lightly trace the sensitive skin just above Naruto's arousal. The way Naruto called out his name... he wanted to hear it over and over again.

"Hah...ah..." Naruto gasped out, his resolve and determination to 'win' going out the window under the other's touches. "S-stop fucking teasing me!" he managed to gasp out after a minute.

Gaara caught Naruto's mouth in his, giving him a harsh yet passionate kiss with teeth and tongue and heat as he plunged his hand underneath Naruto's clothes. He let his hand graze his shaft as he started rolling Naruto's balls with his fingers. After a moment of this he gripped Naruto, who was rock hard and started a slow, yet rough pace.

The blonde moaned into the kiss. Hips frantically bucking up, pleading silently for the other to go faster. One word echoed in his mind. _More_.

Gaara complied with the thrusts and began moving faster, pulling away from the kiss and letting go of Naruto's wrists. Gaara slid his body down Naruto's until his hot breath ran along the side of Naruto's shaft, looking up to see the line of Naruto's body and his face.

Why did he have the feeling he would have bruises on his wrists in the morning? He ignored the thought. Naruto gasped, a shiver running down his spine. It took every ounce of his determination to not thrust his hips up and search for the contact he so desperately needed. "Gaara, please..." he whimpered.

Still pumping him with his hand, Gaara shifted on top of him, drawing him in with his mouth and moving simultaneously with his hand.

Naruto's hips bucked up instinctively and he bit his lip to force down a moan. His breathing came in pants and gasps.

Gaara began pumping him harder, swallowing as he moved and running his tongue along the tip, pausing for a second before flicking his tongue back and forth as quickly as possible.  
A moan fell from Naruto's lips as he fisted his hands at his sides, hips arching up, seeking more of the wonderful contact. He felt his climax quickly approaching.

Gaara's gaze shifted up as he continuously flicked his tongue against Naruto's tip and ran his hand up and down his length. He started to laugh against Naruto at the sight of him, thoroughly sexed up and covered in flour. The flour really made it sexy, but it was also hilarious. He could tell Naruto was close and focused back to a good rhythm.

At the vibrations from the laughter, though it slightly annoyed the reason center in his brain, he bucked his hips up desperately, eyes clenching. "F-fuck, that felt good... Do that again, with the... vibration," he half-ordered, half-begged. That was something that would get him over his edge really quickly.

Gaara moved his hand and deep-throated him before growling a deep, vibrant moan against the flesh. He used his hand to cup Naruto's ass and push him further inside his throat.

That did it for him. Naruto threw his head back and let out a cry of pleasure, a shudder running through his body as he came hard into Gaara's mouth.

Gaara lapped up Naruto's heat in long, languid strokes, much like a cat would lap at cream. Once Naruto was clean he curled his arms around his waist, hugging him closer. "I'll have to remember that trick." Gaara hugged him back, not realizing the wetness seeping through the jacket he was wearing on his arm.

"Hm..." Naruto, after recovering coherent thought, noticed Gaara's arm. "Oh my god, what happened? You're bleeding! Right through your jacket! Are you alright?"

"Shit!" The blood normally wouldn't have been visible with black, but the flour clung to the blood, highlighting it for both of their eyes to see. Gaara lifted his arm and felt the twinge. He might have ripped open his stitches, but he completely forgot about it during... He looked over to Naruto's shocked face and tried to recover. "It's nothing. I'll go take care of it really quick." He stood and started to leave the kitchen.

Naruto jumped up, grabbing Gaara's other wrist. "No. Tell me what happened. It's not nothing. You're hurt. Why? Tell me." Naruto wasn't looking at Gaara, but rather at the blood on his arm.  
"I... was rough-housing with my cat, Shiva, and I got careless. She swiped me with her claws by accident. I stitched it up before you got here, but I must have torn it open." Gaara said, pulling that straight out of his ass. As long as Naruto didn't see the wound, he would never know that a blade had done it instead; the line was too smooth to be from claws.

Naruto gave Gaara a look that suggested he didn't quite believe him. "You shouldn't do your own stitches, it's dangerous. You should go to a hospital for something like that. And what the hell kind of cat could slice open a person's arm enough to need stitches?!"

"I trust myself more than I trust a doctor, I know what I need to about medical treatment. Besides, I hate hospitals." It was more accurate for Gaara to say that if he went to a hospital and they called the authorities, he would be a dead man. Not to mention that he never trusted doctors, as a rule. "Shiva is my pet tiger. I'll show her to you after I fix this, I still have to feed her." Gaara turned to go upstairs to his bathroom.

"T-TIGER!?" Naruto exclaimed, incredulous. Who the hell had a tiger as a pet? Gaara simply nodded and headed upstairs.

He stood there in shock for a minute before grabbing his clothes attempting to at least get SOME of the flour off of them before putting them back on. He so needed a shower. A nice hot shower. Hm... but his hot water had been turned off... damn. He needed more money... The grocery store was hiring... Whatever, he would worry about that some other day. He slumped back against the counter, looking at the mess of flour. He grabbed some paper towels and started to clean it, seeing nothing better to do... plus it was bothering him.

--


	5. It's A Pet?

_A/N: Sorry about the wait guys... Kinda kept procrastinating on this one. And yes, we know it's short... But on the bright side, Chapter 6 is already done and will be posted as soon as we get some reviews on this one. So you know how it goes: R&R!  
Flames: Will be used to roast the people who wrote them.  
Disclaimer: If we owned Naruto, would we be writing _fanfic_ for it? Didn't think so._

**CHAPTER 5: It's A Pet?  
**

Gaara re-emerged within fifteen minutes to see the kitchen clean, but no Naruto. "Naruto?" He walked around the island to see Naruto wiping the remaining flour off the floor. "You didn't need to do that."

Naruto shrugged. "A, I was bored. B, I had nothing better to do. C, it was bothering me. D, I'm borderline obsessive-compulsive sometimes." '_When I'm worried about people. And right now, I'm worried about you._'

Gaara showed Naruto the fresh bandaging, the only part of him that was actually clean of flour. "Good as new. I didn't rip any stitches, I just stretched it from moving around too much."

Naruto shot him a small smile, though it didn't spread across his whole face like his smiles usually did. It masked concern. "So, why do you have a pet tiger, anyway?"

Gaara shrugged. "Why not? They're beautiful. When I got Shiva, we just bonded. She protects me and I protect her. I love and trust her more than I ever did with humans."

A slight frown passed across his face at the last comment 'I love her more than I ever did humans' but he soon replaced it with a smile. It was too much to hope that Gaara could ever possibly love someone like him. Besides, they barely knew each other. "I dunno. It's just a bit... odd. I've never met anyone with a pet tiger. Can I see her?"

Gaara looked at Naruto's haphazard state, still just as dirty as he was. "Of course, but I was wondering. Are you doing anything tomorrow?"

Naruto blinked. "Um, no. Tomorrow's our day off. Why?"

"Would you like to stay tonight? We could take a bath and get cleaned up first and then I could show you around the house." Gaara paused. "Tomorrow I was thinking that you could model for me, if you were still willing to."

Naruto smiled. "Yeah! I'd like that. Of course I still want to model for you." He looked down at the state of his clothes. "Heh... And a bath might be a good idea."

Gaara smiled back. "I agree. Follow me." Gaara led him up to his bedroom and bathroom, having already put away all the medical supplies.

Naruto followed, not wanting to get lost. "This place is seriously huge. Like... seriously."

"I wanted to have my own space. It feels free coming home to have your own territory, something no one else can touch. Here, this is my room." Gaara opened the door and motioned him inside. He could tell Naruto wasn't used to this kind of living, but he hoped it didn't intimidate him. Gaara couldn't care less about where Naruto came from, only that right now, he was here.

"Territory?" he asked with a smirk. "What are you, some great raccoon?" He didn't know why... but Gaara's eyeliner... just reminded him of a raccoon. He laughed. "I'm just kidding. But seriously. It's so big. And I mean-" he stopped, doing a remarkable impression of a goldfish as he saw the room.

Gaara shook the raccoon comment, finding it only a little strange, and watched Naruto's facial expressions. They were so expressive, all the time. Gaara in turn looked around his own room. The four poster bed was enormous, in part because most of the time Shiva liked to sleep next to him when she could actually catch him sleeping. True, he had kept her in the greenhouse dome today so as not to scare the crap out of Naruto, but most of the time she wandered the house. The room was done in royal reds and golds, looking very much like an Arabic royal bedroom. It was a slight desert theme and held vibrant yellows and oranges as well.

"Wow," he breathed, taking in the whole room. "It's beautiful. And... HUGE." It was something he'd only ever seen the likes of on television. '_So, this is how people with money live?_' he thought.

Gaara smiled, taking Naruto by the hand and leading him to the bathroom. The Arabian theme stretched into the bathroom as well, huge and magnificent. Gaara had already filled the enormous tub while he was bandaging himself earlier, hoping that Naruto would say yes. Surrounding the small wading pool were columns made from white marble and moonstone, giving it an iridescent blue shimmer. The floor was also done in the same white marble.

Naruto smiled slightly when Gaara took his hand and he happily followed. "It's..." He was dumbstruck by the bathroom. Wow. Just wow. It wasn't even to be considered a bathroom. More like huge-fucking-awesome-personal-spa-room.

Gaara swept away the sheer white fabric hovering in front of the bath and wrapped it out of the way. "Lights dim," he said in a clear voice, and the lights softened until it looked as if the room were lit by candlelight. Gaara pulled Naruto a little closer and started undoing the button to his pants. "I have spare clothes in the bedroom that you can use tonight."

Naruto's eyes widened at the voice command and he was lost in his thoughts so deeply that he jumped slightly at the feel of his pants being undone. He nodded absently, eyes fixed on Gaara. The other man was hot before, but in this light he was seriously fucking sexy. The slightest bit of flour still in his hair caught the light, lightening his hair and making it seem to almost... glow in the dim lighting. His eyes trailed down across Gaara's eyes, nose, pausing on his lips. Soft yet firm...

Gaara slowly slid Naruto's pants down and stepped back, pulling his own shirt off over his head.

Naruto barely managed to suppress a whimper at the loss of contact before his eyes locked on Gaara's chest, watching him take off the shirt. Could he take it off any slower? It was almost as if he was trying to torture Naruto. Gaara tossed the shirt off to the corner before slowly unzipping his pants, letting gravity do the work of removing them for him. Naruto was still watching him intently, unable to turn his eyes away. He realized he was staring, but he didn't care.

Gaara walked to the edge of the bath, turning his head back to stare at Naruto, who still had on his shirt and boxers. He was gorgeous, and he loved the way that Naruto looked at him; it made him feel...special. There was a more modern shower at the back that he used way more often, but he wanted to take his time with Naruto. He slowly peeled the last bit of clothing from his body, kicking it to the side before walking down the steps and into the bath, glad that he wrapped his bandage in plastic kling ahead of time. He ducked under the warm water and rose up to see Naruto, still standing motionless at the edge.

Naruto absently licked his lips, which suddenly felt remarkably... dry. He realized Gaara was already in the water and blushed slightly, quickly slipping off the last of his clothes before getting into the water as well. He sighed. '_Warm water at last. Better enjoy it while it lasts. It's back to cold showers for tomorrow,_' he thought bitterly, trying to not let his inner upset show. "This is really nice..."

The water dripped down the lines of Gaara's body, falling gently down his back. "Come here," he whispered. He saw that upset look again, and again he wanted to make it disappear.  
Naruto looked at him questioningly but obeyed, watching the water dripping down Gaara's form as he slowly stepped closer to him.

Gaara drew Naruto down into the water with him, wrapping his arms around him and laying a gentle kiss on his forehead.

Naruto's eyes fluttered shut for a moment and he sighed contentedly. When he opened his eyes, they held his usual spark mixed with a hint of... lust that hadn't been there before.

Gaara slowly touched their lips together, delicate and yet unsure of himself. As outgoing as he had been around Naruto, it was still awkward when he considered that only this man had done these things with him. As confident as he seemed, there was still a lingering doubt, an almost untouchable innocence.

Naruto smiled slightly at the hesitation he still found in Gaara. It was... cute in its own way. Placing his hands on Gaara's hips, he drew them closer together, nibbling on Gaara's lip gently.

Gaara rested his arms on Naruto's muscled shoulders sinking closer to Naruto's warmth. He drew his tongue lightly across Naruto's lips in response.

He probed his tongue into the other's mouth, caressing Gaara's tongue with his own and pulling Gaara closer still. Gaara let out a soft moan, putting more of his weight on Naruto.

This was nice. Not rushed and desperate like it had been with others Naruto had been with. But more... leisurely. Like they had all the time they wanted. He licked the roof of his mouth, reveling in the small noises emanating from the redhead.

Gaara reluctantly pulled back from the kiss, sinking them up to their necks in the water and running some of that water through Naruto's hair. "We should probably clean the rest of the flour off, or it will be impossible to get out."

Naruto smirked mischievously, a plan running through his head. He dunked his head fully under the water before coming up and shaking his head like a wet dog, covering Gaara in flour-water.

"Ah, Jesus!" Gaara gasped, covering his face with his hands before diving underneath the water, coming back up to see Naruto smirking.

Naruto burst out into hysterical laughter. "Sorry. Too perfect. Couldn't resist," he said with a mischievous grin. "It shan't happen again," he said dramatically before slapping the water and sending more water into Gaara's face. "Oops, sorry about that," he said innocently.

Gaara disappeared under the water until Naruto felt him tug him by his ankles, sending him gasping underwater. They came up together, Naruto gasping for air. "Oops," was Gaara's only reply, though he was smirking.

Naruto mock-glared at him before disappearing under the water and reappearing behind Gaara, placing his hands on his shoulders and dunking the other. "Oh, so sorry, didn't see you there." He stuck out his tongue at Gaara.

Gaara grabbed onto Naruto and flipped him forward over his shoulders before dunking him again. "We can do this all night, Naruto, but if you still want to see Shiva, we better do it soon. She's going to be hungry."

Naruto made an indignant noise as he was flipped. But nodded. "Hungry tiger equals not good. Got it. I will return." He submerged under the water, furiously scrubbing out the last of the flour before surfacing. He was under for much longer than most people could hold their breath, much less while scrubbing at their hair. But he didn't realize this as it was 'normal' for him.

Gaara just blinked at him as he finished washing himself off as well. "I didn't realize you were a water baby." He was actually really pleased. Gaara loved to swim and be around water.

The blonde frowned slightly at the term. "What do you mean?" he asked, tilting his head to one side. "If you mean I like the water then yeah, why wouldn't I? The water makes everything so... free."

Gaara smiled. "I love water too, but I meant that you could hold your breath for so long."

"What do you mean? I don't hold it for any longer than anyone else... do I?" He'd honestly never paid attention.

"You were under for a good two minutes, and you're not even breathing hard. Not just anyone can do that without passing out," Gaara replied, finding it odd that Naruto wouldn't notice something like that. It was trivial, but Naruto seemed like he liked being able to do things better than others, to get recognition where it was deserved.

"Was I? Hm, most people can't... erm... do that?" He shrugged. The last time he'd been anywhere near water with anyone else had been over four years before. He grinned. "Guess I'm just awesome then, dattebayo."

Gaara walked out of the bath and grabbed two towels, handing one over to Naruto. "I'll go find you some clothes."

"Thanks," he said, following him out of the bath.

Gaara headed into the walk in closet, looking for something that could fit Naruto as he dried off his hair. Naruto wasn't large by any means, but he wasn't as petite as Gaara was always considered to be. He tossed a pair of black sweats and an old orange shirt behind him. The only time he ever wore the shirt was when he was painting anyways, evident by the permanent marks of paint dabbed on it. "Those should fit you." He said, pulling on some loose black pj bottoms and matching tank top.

"Thanks," he said, putting on the clothes. The shirt was just slightly tight and clung to his body slightly but not uncomfortably. It highlighted his muscles and figure.

Gaara emerged from the closet clothed and looked over Naruto. The shirt was form-fitting and made Gaara marvel at the sight. His body was so tempting to look at, as if he was the apple the snake tempted Eve to bite. "You know, orange and black suit you." Gaara closed the distance and ran his hands along his waist, kissing him lightly on the lips. '_I can't stop this desire to touch him,_' he thought. It was almost frustrating, this attraction, it was just that strong.

Naruto shivered slightly under the touch. "T-thanks."

Gaara let his fingers linger on Naruto's side for just a few more moments, lightly dabbing his lips against Naruto's cheeks and neck. He took Naruto by the hand and started leading him back downstairs and into the kitchen basement.

--


	6. Life And Histories

_A/N: As promised, Chapter 6! Chapter 7 is already done as well now. So... reviewing will lead to faster posting of that chapter. Got it? Good.  
Flames: Will be extinguished and the remains picked apart.  
Disclaimer: Wahhhh. Rub it in, why don't ya? Don't own. Don't sue._

**CHAPTER 6: Life and Histories**

Naruto followed, still thinking of the feel of the other's hands on him. Why was it Gaara of all people could do this to him? He didn't know, but he didn't exactly mind.

Gaara opened up one of the large refrigerators, the ones he kept for storing meat for Shiva. He grabbed a large bowl full of meat and blood, while pulling out a small bag of pineapple and handing it to Naruto. "Could you carry that for me please?"

"Um... yeah... sure..." The sight of the bowl of meat made him more than slightly queasy.

Gaara saw Naruto's face pale. He walked back up the stairs with the bowl so that Naruto wouldn't have to see it. "If blood and gore makes you feel sick, you probably shouldn't watch me feed her. She really likes the blood, so I don't bother draining it." Naruto's face was still clipped. "Naruto, are you alright?" The blood and gore was so natural to Gaara that he usually forgot how normal people felt about it.

Naruto snapped out of his little trance. "I'm fine. I don't mind it if you're just feeding it to her. She has to eat it. Cats are carnivores, it's in their nature."

Gaara nodded, taking Naruto through the house until they reached the back doors, large glass doors with black iron filigree. The lights were off in the room, but Naruto could hear running water and see what looked like stars.

Naruto shot Gaara a questioning look at the sound of the water. "Is that... water?"

"Yes, this is my greenhouse and pool area. Normally Shiva has her run of the house, but I didn't want to scare you. This is her favorite room, so I kept her here," Gaara opened the door and motioned him inside, hitting a light that turned on the accent lights. They lit the pool and waterfall softly and also various areas of the greenery. The entire area looked like some sort of jungle eden. "I have to keep the lights low at night or Rolo gets upset."

He was awestruck at the beauty of the room. It was almost... surreal. "R-rolo? Who... or _what_... is that?" he asked confusedly.

Gaara pointed to the figure flying around the glass ceiling. "He's a fruit bat. You might want to open that bag of pineapple, he's probably really hungry. Do you mind feeding him?" Gaara asked. It was a little late though, seeing as the blur at the ceiling had made a beeline towards Naruto.

"A fruit b- Kyah!" the creature attached itself to Naruto's face. "It's trying to suffocate me! Gaara save me!"

Gaara smiled as the fox with wings crawled around on Naruto, licking his face. "It's okay, just get some pineapple and hand it to him." Gaara was trying really hard not to laugh, Rolo was always affectionate, but he usually only did stuff like that to Shiva.

Naruto fumbled, opening the bag blindly. He managed to pull out a piece and feed it to the small creature, laughing as Rolo moved to take the piece. "T-that tickles," he laughed out.

Rolo took the pineapple piece and swallowed it quickly, grabbing Naruto's hand and licking between his fingers before crawling around on his back to look over his shoulder, licking Naruto on the ear.

Gaara raised an eyebrow and smiled. Rolo was affectionate, but this was bordering on obsession. "I have never seen him so taken with anyone like that. He must really like you."

Naruto laughed. "He's cute." He turned to the fruit bat, handing him another piece. "And you know you're cute, don't you Rolo?"

Rolo gobbled down more of the pineapple before looking at Naruto with his tan eyes. He crawled closer to Naruto's face and started licking him relentlessly on the lips and nose.

Naruto twitched, laughing. "Rolo, quit it! Gaara, how do I get him off?" He didn't want to hurt the little creature.

Gaara laughed. "He usually leaves me alone once I feed him, hang on."Gaara moved to detach Rolo from Naruto's face, but the fruit bat would have none of this and started scampering around Naruto's body before clinging to his back.

Naruto's laughter increased. "Rolo, that tickles. Heh, Gaara, looks like I'm stuck with him until he gets bored of me. It's alright. He's cute." He gently stroked the fruit bat's head, encouraging him to sit on his shoulder, which he happily did, receiving another piece of pineapple as reward. "No licking my face." Rolo start making excited noises at receiving another piece of fruit and licked his ear instead before relaxing against him.

Gaara smiled and looked around. "Naruto," Gaara lightly turned him to face the rocky cliff of the waterfall that flowed into the pool. A shadow had risen up in front of the moonlight and began a graceful descent down the rock face, careful not to disturb the plants. "This is Shiva," he said. The tiger slowly crept into view, cautiously looking at the newcomer before looking at Gaara.

Naruto gasped quietly. "She's beautiful, Gaara."

Gaara stepped forward and set the large bowl down. "Shiva, come." Shiva padded slowly to Gaara her massive body rolling with muscle, still looking at Naruto cautiously and with a feral intensity. Gaara ran his hands through her fur and scratched her ears like a caring lover. "Calm yourself, he's a friend." Shiva nuzzled into Gaara's face and started purring, content if Gaara was content. It was obvious that they had a deep bond. They looked at each other and Naruto couldn't help but see that they matched each other, their feral personalities and even the way they moved. "She isn't used to people, even though clients come here all the time. She is really protective."

"I don't blame her. Hell, sometimes I'm not even used to people. She is really beautiful, though." He absently fed Rolo another piece of fruit, eyes still fixed on Shiva.

"I don't know what I would do without her, ever since I got her, she has been the one constant in my life." Gaara gave her a loving pat and sent her towards Naruto. "Go on," he muttered, picking up the bowl. Shiva stalked closer to Naruto, eyes softer than before, as if she understood the compliment he gave her. Shiva walked slowly and gracefully, attempting to boast her beauty even more. There was a fierce intelligence in those eyes as she wound her way around Naruto's feet, pausing to look up at him.

He watched her move carefully, fascinated by her grace. When she got closer to him, he tensed slightly. But he looked into her eyes and saw more than just a beast. He smiled down at her slightly. "Hello, Shiva..."

"She won't hurt you, you can pet her if you like." Gaara said. Shiva let out a large 'meow' that sounded fearsome, but was actually her gentle form of greeting. Her eyes told Naruto that as long as he didn't hurt Gaara, she would not hurt him. Again, she let out another noise and rubbed her head along his thigh. She really was intelligent.

Naruto slowly, cautiously, reached a hand down, stroking her head lightly. "She's soft!" Her fur reminded him of a large plushie.

Shiva purred happily at the comment and began rubbing her body against Naruto as he pet her. "She usually sleeps with me on the bed upstairs, that's why it's so big. I don't sleep very often though, so normally I just come out here with her and rest at the top of the cliff side there. I have an area set out up there, where I can look at the stars. There are a lot out tonight." Gaara said distantly. That was one of his favorite past-times, lying up there with Shiva. It was such a personal topic, and Gaara realized it was one of those things that someone only admitted to someone they really cared about. That he had shared something so special to him slightly shocked him, but Naruto was different, he was helping him break all of his rules.

Naruto smiled, happy that Gaara had told him this small little fact. "That's cool. Watching the stars is fun. You have cool pastimes. Mine are kinda... lame and stupid..." He continued petting Shiva, fascinated by the softness of her fur.

Shiva padded back to Gaara and he tossed her a piece of meat before setting the bowl down for her. "What do you do? I want to know," Gaara said, listening intently. He still didn't know very much about Naruto; he was secretly desperate to know more.

Naruto blushed, looking at his feet. "I um... make plushies..." he mumbled.

"Plushies? ...The stuffed animals?" Gaara asked.

Naruto blushed more. "Y-yeah... lame, isn't it?"

Gaara smiled. "No it's not. For some reason, I can really imagine that. It's unique and random. I like it."

Rolo suddenly jumped down from Naruto and glided over to Shiva, resting on her back as she lapped up the blood in the bowl.

Naruto looked up, obviously surprised. He had been expecting Gaara to laugh at him, ridicule his hobby. But instead...Gaara liked it? He smiled. "Wow, a fruit bat friends with a tiger. That is something I never thought I'd see."

"I know, but I always wanted a fruit bat for some reason. I got him from a zoo after I had Shiva, but I never expected them to get along as well as they did. They're inseparable." Shiva lowered herself to the ground, shredding the meat between her teeth and lapping the blood that dripped from her chin, content to have Rolo scampering around her back, slightly swishing her tail along the floor.

Naruto watched the two of them. They really did go well together. "I feel a strong urge to become vegetarian..." he muttered more to himself than Gaara.

Gaara looked back down at Shiva, watching her feed. He was always fascinated when he watched her eat, and secretly he enjoyed watching the blood. He shook his head of the thought, not here. Not here with Naruto, he didn't want him seeing that. He took Naruto by the hand and pointed to the top of the waterfall. "Come on, we can climb up and relax up there."

Naruto jumped slightly, having not noticed Gaara coming to stand next to him. He tilted his head. "How do we get up there?"

Gaara walked them around to the back, where it was easier to climb and not as steep. The way was scattered with several soft patches of moss and plants, along with several flat spots to sit at or use to climb higher. "This way. You are an acrobat right? Have you ever done any rock climbing?"

Naruto grinned. "So we just scale it?" '_Easy enough..._'

Gaara jumped and climbed the side of the face with a graceful ease, much the same way Shiva had looked climbing down it.

Naruto watched him for a moment before following. Gaara's path was practiced and graceful, Naruto's involved him flipping backwards up onto one ledge before actually climbing the rest of the way.

Gaara smirked watching Naruto climb behind him, waiting for him to catch up before taking them up the rest of the way to the flat at the top.

Naruto caught up quickly, shaking a stray group of hairs from his eyes. "Damn, I need a haircut..." he said, starting to follow Gaara again. When they reached the top, he looked out in wonder. It was amazing. "This whole place is amazing..."

The flat was a clean floor of soft moss, a large stream coming out from a beautiful fountain made out of what looked like moonstone and labradorite. The fountain then turned into a natural looking stream that fell down to make the rocky waterfall below. Off to the side was a pile of handmade Indian textiles and pillows, forming a relaxing resting place that Gaara sat down at. Gaara was reaching over for some kind of remote when the lights turned off, letting the moon and stars light the small eden. Gaara motioned for Naruto to come over, past the plants and rocks, to relax by his side. "What do you think?"

Naruto sat next to him, unconsciously taking Gaara's hand in his by their sides. "I love it. It's like... a little slice of paradise."

Gaara nuzzled closer to Naruto's chest, content knowing that Naruto was enjoying himself. He was even happier that Naruto had decided to stay with him tonight. He looked absentmindedly at the stars, watching them shimmer through the glass.

Naruto moved one arm, instead wrapping it around Gaara, his other hand still holding Gaara's. "Thanks for letting me stay tonight," he whispered, kissing the top of Gaara's head and breathing in the scent that was so distinctly... Gaara.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I really like the company." Gaara muttered, looking up into Naruto's Siberian blue eyes. He wondered what he was thinking about.

Naruto smiled softly. Not his over exaggerated usual smile, but a pure smile, right from his heart. "Me too."

Gaara drew his lips to Naruto's pressing lightly against them before drawing back a bit. "I probably should have asked you a long time ago, but I never really felt comfortable enough to do it. So far I know where you live, where you work, and that you like making plushies." Gaara kissed him again. "I want to get to know you more." Granted he could see so much in Naruto's eyes, as well as his fierce personality and troubled past, but he wanted to know more.

Naruto stiffened for a moment. He wanted to tell him, answer any question he asked, but... everyone who had ever tried to 'care' had left when they found out his past. '_But he does care. He has no other reason to ask,_' he thought. Naruto relaxed once more. "That depends on what you want to know."

"How did you learn acrobatics? How did you join the circus? Do you want to do something else? Are you in college?" Gaara shrugged. "Whatever you want to tell me." He added, noting Naruto's tension.

"The acrobatics was just... something I did. I guess you could call me a runaway, but I didn't run away from my parents... I don't really know what I want to do with the rest of my life. I can't afford college, hell, I can barely afford my apartment. No, I _can't_ afford my apartment, actually. They turned off my hot water last week. I have an unhealthy obsession with foxes and frogs. And... um... Yeah."

Gaara looked over to Naruto. "How in the hell did you afford my paintings then? I know that they weren't as expensive as the others, but they weren't cheap."

Naruto coughed embarrassedly. "Loans from friends and... eating nothing but ramen for three months. It was worth it though."

Gaara wasn't pitying him, but he couldn't help but feel bad that Naruto had done that, just for his paintings. He was however, honored. "Well, you won't have to worry about financial difficulties after tomorrow," Gaara said in a business-like manner.

Naruto looked at him confusedly. "Eh?"

"You promised to model for me tomorrow, right? Usually I work with the same model for a few weeks doing various poses, sketches, and paintings. I pay my models for their time."

"Y-you don't have to pay me," protested Naruto, blushing slightly. "My time's not worth all that much anyway."

Gaara looked over to Naruto with serious eyes. "That part isn't negotiable. I pay all my models; it's only fair. I usually make about eight thousand dollars per painting easily, and my models always receive a percentage as compensation. I pay them because most of my work becomes public."

"E-eight thousand!?" Naruto nodded sheepishly. "A-alright I guess. Maybe I can get them to turn on my hot water again... cold showers aren't fun..."

Gaara wrapped a leg over Naruto, pulling a blanket over their legs. Truthfully, his work could be worth more if he wanted it to be, but he made more than enough participating in fights. His manager was the one that insisted on the prices. Gaara was pleased that Naruto could get a hold of some of his most prized work before he began getting recognized. He remembered selling the collection to someone for roughly three hundred each. Now, they would be worth three times that. "I'll show you around the studio tomorrow then, and we can get started."

Naruto nodded, smiling at the small gesture of caring indicated by the blanket. "Okay, sure!"

Gaara stroked the hair on top of the blonde's head. "Earlier you said something about running away? What did you run from?" He asked, thinking back to when he ran from his family, ran from the fights, ran from his sanity.

Naruto looked away. "You won't like me anymore if I tell you. Anyone who I've told... has always left me. I can't deal with that, not again."

Gaara turned Naruto by his chin to face him. "Do I look like just anyone? So-called, self proclaimed 'normal' people probably pull that heartless and uncaring crap all the time, but I do not. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I can bet almost anything that I will understand how you feel about being left, tossed aside like trash, more than you think."

He smiled sadly. "I'll tell you my past if you tell me yours,"

Gaara froze. "What do you want to know?"

"Whatever you want to tell me. Everyone has their secrets, I know that. But some secrets are meant to be shared more than others."

Gaara thought for a moment. He couldn't tell him a lot about his life, partially because if Naruto found out and freaked, he could find himself rotting in prison or worse. He thought for a moment before settling on something he was willing to share, although reluctantly. "When I left my family...when I became homeless... I was considered legally insane." He remembered how his father's attempts to kill him after his uncle 'disappeared' stopped, how he no longer forced him to fight. Instead, one night... "One night, my dad came into my room with a group of men. They were trying to take me to an institution. I...attacked them and escaped. That's when I ran away..." Gaara looked over to Naruto, hesitant to see the look in his eyes before he even considered continuing.

Naruto squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Then what happened?" he asked softly.

Gaara sighed and looked up at the stars. "I spent most of my time avoiding people, even though I was hardly aware of what I was doing. It was like I didn't even exist, like some demon had taken control. People could be so cruel, so I tried avoiding them. I slept by a river under a bridge close to downtown most of the time. It was dangerous, punks would usually find bums like me while we were sleeping...I was beaten nearly to death several times before I learned never to fall asleep..." He killed them in the end, but he never slept much after that, never feeling safe enough to sleep anywhere. God, it was like he was an animal, not even human. "I became vicious." '_Even worse than before,_' he thought. "I became increasingly violent, I ate what I could find. Jesus, you never learn to appreciate food more than after you've eaten rats to survive." Gaara wasn't looking at Naruto anymore. "When Temari and Kankuro found me after my father died, they had to knock me out before they took me to Temari's place. They spent weeks trying to get me to eat and sleep."

Naruto hugged Gaara tightly. "That sounds miserable." '_Poor Gaara,_' he thought. "But you're okay now. You've got a point though. People are cruel. Some more cruel than anyone could ever think possible..." he trailed off, unsure how to continue. He'd never really talked about his past. But... still... for some reason he felt Gaara could understand on some level. Better than most.

Gaara shook his head, remembering those hateful faces, treating him like trash, just like his father and uncle did. They were all worthless, all fake. Not a damn one ever cared. "Temari called a private doctor to evaluate me, knowing I refused to be locked away somewhere, knowing even in my insanity that I would rather die than be caged. Eventually, things got better, and I started to paint." Gaara remembered that the four Naruto had were among his first. The truth was that he only really began to get better when he found an outlet for his violence, in fighting the illegal matches his father had initially introduced him to. It really was ironic that after all his 'progress,' he was still the same ruthless, violent animal his father trained him to be. He turned to look at Naruto. "So you see, I can understand cruelty." Gaara pulled himself closer to Naruto, showing him understanding emerald green eyes.

Naruto smiled sadly. "My parents died when I was very little. I hardly even remember them. I spent most of my life in foster homes. Most of those families were only in it for the money. But others... they wanted something more... something worse. Beatings, insults, tortures. I came to school with bruises, broken bones; no one ever cared. None of the teachers ever gave me a second glance. It was to one of those 'parents' that I lost my virginity. God, I still remember it, I can see his face. He came into my room one night. Told me if I dared to make a sound, he'd kill me then and there. It hurt, god it hurt so much. And there was blood. And... his sick smile, getting off on making an young boy suffer like that." Unshed tears shone in his eyes. "It only got worse after that..." Naruto paused for a moment.

"Finally, one of my friends took me in when I got to high school. He was my best friend and I thought I could trust him... I was wrong. He was the worst of all of them. He got close to me, I only wanted to be friends, he had other ideas. Thought I owed him for taking me in and teaching me to defend myself. And the only acceptable 'payment' was my body. Sick bastard... When I finally escaped from him, I... joined the circus." Naruto's sadness had turned to bitterness. "It was the only place I could think of for a freak like me. It's not so bad though." He forced a smile back onto his face, though it didn't reach his eyes, which were now dead and devoid of emotion. "Because they can't take my acrobatics away. Dattebayo."

Gaara was furious, his eyes filled with a deadly anger. How dare they do something like that to Naruto. Someone as bright, and beautiful, and alive as he was shouldn't be forced to go through that. Gaara was bred to have violence and pain in his very being, but Naruto...he was special. He had a youthful, innocent exuberance and vitality that couldn't be denied; he was full of love and care. He could see how it would be easy for most to overlook and not notice that darkness that lurked behind someone so bright. Why would someone do something like that to him of all people? Gaara forced Naruto to look at him. "You are not a freak."

Naruto shut his eyes, remembering all the people who had insulted him. "Freak, loser, waste of space, pincushion, brat, runt, monster, slut, whore, slave, property, useless." He listed off the names he had been referred to as. "The list goes on. Why would so many people have said all of them if they weren't true?" He sighed. "What hurt most was them just ignoring me though. Kids in school, the teachers, kids on the playground. It's like... they were afraid to be seen with me. Because they thought they'd wind up like me. That's the main reason I joined the circus. If I get good, they can't ignore me anymore. Dattebayo!" his eyes held determination, but the sadness was still there.

Gaara was still fuming. It was people like that, that made him enjoy killing in fights. "You have nothing to prove to worthless, fake trash. Just because a majority believes something does not make it true. Most of their meaningless lives will be spent making others suffer so that they can feel as if their existence actually holds some sort of purpose. They never cared to understand you at all, or they would have seen how great you really were. You're special, beautiful, fierce, and driven. Those are things that most people will never have." Gaara looked away. "And so they will spend most of their lives trying to drag you down for it. Envy does that."

Naruto's smile lit his eyes once more. "Do you really think that? That I'm special? ...Beautiful?" No one had ever complimented him like that. He'd heard 'hot', 'sexy', 'fuckable', but never 'beautiful'.

Gaara sighed. It may sound cheesy, but it was true. "Yours is a star far too bright to allow the moon to dim it. Beautiful." He pointed to the north star. He could always see it, even on nights with a full moon. Too bright to be hidden away.

Naruto followed his pointing and smiled wider. He reached out, turning Gaara to face him, and kissed him on the lips, passionately but not rushed. "Thank you," he whispered against Gaara's lips, pulling away slightly.

Gaara stroked the side of Naruto's face. He was special. It was only the second day of knowing this person and he already felt as if they belonged together from the start. He turned and looked back up at the sky, listening to the gentle cascading of the fountain and the waterfall. "We can sleep out here if you want to."

"Yeah, sure. It's nice out here." he replied softly. This was nice. So... peaceful...

Gaara laid a kiss on Naruto's neck. "Then goodnight."

Naruto settled back, pulling Gaara closer to him. Almost immediately, his eyelids felt heavier.

Gaara held Naruto, feeling his change in breathing as he fell asleep. He brushed the stray strands of blonde hair from his sleeping face and smirked. "We're more alike than I originally thought," he whispered. Within an hour Shiva had slowly made her way closer, letting out a small begging sound. Gaara patted a space beside him in the other side from Naruto and she dropped beside him. He wrapped his fingers around her hair and pet her reassuringly, touching his forehead to hers. "I could never forget you." He did not sleep, content to lay back with Naruto in his arms and Shiva at his side.

--


	7. Modeling Trials

_A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long. New semester starting and whatnot. Very disappointed by the number of reviews, guys! Spread the word about CoF! Please!? Thanks! Ildri_

**Chapter 7: Modeling Trials**

Naruto woke the next morning to bright sunlight blinding him. "Meh, morning already?" He shifted slightly.

Gaara nudged him gently. "I was wondering if I should wake you, you missed the sunrise."

"Why am I even up this early? Some days I'm lucky if I don't miss the sun_set_," he muttered, burying his head in Gaara's chest. He was not a morning person. "Stupid sun, coming up so early..."

"It's almost noon." Gaara whispered in his ear, gently ticking Naruto's chest and abs.

Naruto sat up quickly, squeaking indignantly. "Don't tickle me!"

"You're awake though." Gaara said.

"...Brat," the blonde muttered in response. "Well, I'm up. So now what..."

Gaara stood and walked to the cliffside, looking back at Naruto. "Well, we can eat, or I can show you my studio. It all depends on whether you want to get down from here the slow way or the fast way."

"What's the fast way?" he asked curiously.

Gaara gave Naruto a dangerous smile as he walked up to Naruto and pulled him closer to the edge. He drew him into a kiss before whispering into his lips, hands wandering along his frame. "Do you want me to show you...the...fast...way?"

He shivered under the touch. "I have a feeling I'm going to regret this..." he muttered before nodding.

Gaara grabbed him by the waist and pulled him closer, showing Naruto he was happy to be there before licking the side of his throat. "Do you want it?" He growled.

"Y-yes..." Naruto breathed, feeling his body coming alive at the sensations, but still worried Gaara was going to throw him off the side of the cliff.

Gaara pulled off his shirt and Naruto's before tossing them over the edge and dropping to his knees, licking and nibbling his way down to his waist, gently tugging in Naruto's sweatpants.

His breath caught in his throat. "G-gaara..." he gasped.

He dipped his hand behind the sweatpants to squeeze the magnificent muscle of his cheek, looking up at Naruto and letting his hot breath linger against him.

"Ah!" he jumped slightly, a whimper passing his lips. "T-tease."

"Damn straight. Plug your nose," he said. Before the thought could even register, Gaara had pushed back.

"Shit!" He hated it when he was right sometimes. He quickly took a breath and braced himself for impact with the water.

Gaara jumped over soon after, smirking as he saw Naruto splash into the water.

The blonde came up, spluttering and glaring at Gaara. "...Brat!"

Gaara simply waded in the water, the back splash from the falls brushing his shoulders and head as a smirk settled on his face.

"That was a low blow. Majorly low." Naruto smacked his hand against the water, sending water spraying up into Gaara's face.

Gaara shrugged in the water, blocking the splashed with his arm. "You told me to."

"Did not. I never said 'hey Gaara, throw me off the top of the waterfall.' Did I? No, I didn't."

"You said to show you the fast way. That was the fast way." Gaara smirked before swimming over to the side.

"You are a brat sometimes." he replied, following him. "And now I'm soaking wet."

"I can get you some more clothes." Gaara pulled himself out to see Shiva stalking by with Rolo on her back, ready to follow them out of the greenhouse. Gaara waited for Naruto.

Naruto climbed out of the water, shivering slightly at the air temperature before getting used to it. Gaara pulled him closer and rubbed his hands up and down his arms to warm him before leading him back inside.

It took a matter of moments for them to get dressed and eat a quick breakfast, Gaara leaving a bowl of more meat down for Shiva, and Naruto feeding a greedy Rolo some of his banana. The anticipation for the modeling had been building ever since Gaara had first laid eyes on Naruto; he made him want to paint his own work again. After eating he led Naruto to the studio, stopping at the doors. "This is my studio."

Naruto waited in eager anticipation for him to open the doors. Would it be elaborate like the rest of the place? Or simple and to the point? It was something he'd always wondered since he first saw Gaara's works.

Gaara opened the double doors and invited Naruto in with his eyes, pleased to see his reaction. Gaara's studio was bathed in light from one side, large windows facing what would be the sunset in about seven hours. It almost looked like an over-sized wooden attic, surrounded by several large cream-colored canvases. Supplies littered the area on tables and in two large cabinets. "This is where I keep most of my supplies, the studio is back here."

Gaara led him back into another area separated by cloth until the walls were covered with dozens of paintings. Gaara switched on some more lights and showed him his small stage set up, complete with several props and bits of furniture. He gestured to the paintings arranged around the wall. "Those are the paintings the clients the other day wanted to see."

His eyes widened, walking over to look at them more closely. "Wow. They're beautiful. But..." he turned to Gaara. "When you did these, you were holding something back. Some emotion. They're suppressed."

Gaara blinked, looking at the paintings he was gesturing to. "Many of those were ones I was paid to do. They would seem a little suppressed I guess," He said fingering one of the canvases. They were the ones he had done during his recovery with Temari and Kankuro, when he was still...lost.

"You're trying to conform to what people expect of you, instead of doing what you want to do. Striving for 'normal', yet seeking yourself... Lost." He paused. "Either that or I'm off completely on this one."

Gaara stood silently, looking over his past work. He could feel himself slipping back into those moments, feeling what it used to feel like, remembering how frightening he used to, no, still was. But there was something missing, as he sifted through those murderous past feelings. The one thing he thought he had, that truthfully never existed for him between another human being. "Lost, yes. I see it now though. They lacked love."

Naruto walked over to him, placing a hand on his arm. "Well, that's something we'll have to change for your future works, isn't it?" he asked, smiling softly.

Gaara shook his head of the thoughts and smiled. "I found some inspiration after I got Shiva." Gaara showed him another set. "I started doing these shortly after the ones we were looking at. I didn't have a model that interested me at the time, so I just practiced with myself." Gaara scratched his head, slightly embarrassed. "They were only supposed to be practice runs, but the museum wants to use these as the focus of my show."

"These are amazing. They're so... real. The focus of the show? Awesomeness, dattebayo!" He paused. "...And you're cute when you're embarrassed like that." He gave Gaara a light kiss on the lips.

"I just didn't think they were that interesting." Gaara pointed to one of him resting his head over what could only be Shiva. "This is my favorite one of Shiva though."

Naruto gaped at the painting. "It's beautiful..." The fine attention to detail, the posture, everything. He reached out to touch the painting, marveling at the life expressed in Shiva's eyes and the way Gaara looked so small resting on her head. He could not turn his eyes away. "Wow..."

As if on queue, Shiva padded up beside Gaara and he gave her a pat, pleased that Naruto liked this one as well. So far, this one was his favorite. He watched in wonder as Naruto examined every detail of the piece.

Naruto continued to stare at the piece, unable to turn his eyes away, still not having noticed Shiva enter the room. Gaara tucked the information away for later, turning his eyes towards Rolo, who was crawling from Shiva's back to Naruto's pant legs.

"He really likes you." Gaara smirked.

Naruto jumped when he felt the small creature attach itself to his leg, climbing up. Realizing it was Rolo, he laughed, holding out his hand to the bat, letting it climb onto his hand before placing him on his shoulder. "Guess I'm just awesome like that," he replied, turning to Gaara with a cocky grin. "Dattebayo!"

Gaara pet Rolo before picking him up and putting him back on Shiva. He gave her a loving pat. "Go on you two." He motioned Naruto over to the stage as he went over and began re-arranging props until there was a bench with a podium next to it, looking vaguely similar to an L-shape. "I thought about this last night."

Naruto tilted his head to the side, indicating for Gaara to continue explaining what he wanted Naruto to do. Gaara motioned for Naruto to sit and lean against the L-shape. He did as he was indicated, having never modeled for a painting before, or at all really, shifting slightly to find a relatively comfortable position.

"Here, try this." Gaara had one leg rest flat along the surface and pulled the other up in a triangle. He positioned one hand hanging limply down the side while he guided the other one to cover his lap, to cross towards the other in a relaxed gesture. "Kind of like you are leaning against a tree."

Naruto took the pose he was given, playing with it slightly and adjusting the angle of his head. "Like this?"

Gaara stepped back and looked at him, completely unaware of how utterly professional and passionate he was being about his work. "Yes, except when you take off your clothes, keep your face forward."

Naruto smiled, watching Gaara get into his work. The phrase 'take off your clothes' made an almost imperceptible blush pass across his cheeks.

"I'll turn up the heat in here so you don't get cold." Gaara was pulling his supplies together, left and returned with a large canvas. It had to be at least eight feet wide and almost as tall as Gaara as he positioned it against two wooden beams. "Are you alright?"

Naruto nodded. "I'm fine."

Gaara sat down next to his painting supplies, pulling out a thick charcoal pencil and preparing the paint. "Alright. If you could take off your clothes and get back into the position you had." Gaara looked around at the lighting before paying attention to his setup. "We'll continue as long as you're comfortable."

"Um... how much of my clothing?" Naruto asked, slipping off his shirt.

Gaara looked up and blinked for a moment, still focused on the mechanics of his idea. "All of it. The position will still keep you relatively covered from this point of view."

Naruto blushed slightly but nodded, removing the rest of his clothing and getting back into the previous position, looking back at Gaara.

When Gaara looked back up his breath caught in his throat. '_This is pathetic,_' he thought. He was fine being professional about this until Naruto gave him those nervous eyes. Something about this suddenly felt more intimate than sex. He shakily raised the hand holding the charcoal pencil and cleared out his throat. "If you could tilt your head that way..."

Naruto did as he was told, watching Gaara intently. Was Gaara... shaking? '_Cute, very cute._'

Gaara coughed and suddenly focused very intently on the canvas. Every few moments he would emerge, look at another feature of Naruto, and disappear back behind the canvas.

Naruto could hear him sketching out on the material. He could also see Gaara's face getting even more red every time he looked at him. He found Gaara's blushing very entertaining. The next time Gaara looked at him, Naruto gave him the sexiest and most suggestive wink and smile he could muster before returning to his previous pose.

Gaara did a double take, swearing that Naruto had winked at him. He could feel the heat burning his face and neck and took a moment to breathe. "I'll just get the basics down for now, and then we can call it a day." He hoped that sounded clear, though his gut told him it didn't.

Naruto laughed internally. That was so much fun. And Gaara's tone of voice was so nervous! "Alright, that's fine," he replied, tone perfectly even.

Almost two hours later, Gaara set his brush down and picked up a blanket, handing it to Naruto. "I think that's good for today. So how do you feel?" Gaara asked. Somehow that experience had been the most erotic moment of his life as this muse whispered artistic visions in his ear. He felt like it had been his first time painting a nude portrait, and couldn't help but wonder at what Naruto was thinking, being a virgin model.

Naruto smiled. "That was a lot of fun. But it's hard to stay still for that long, dattebayo!" As if to emphasize his point, he stretched, allowing the blanket to shift into a teasing position.

Gaara followed the teasing trace of skin down his thigh. Control. He could keep control of himself. He looked away. "Well, I'm glad you were okay with it. Most new models get really uncomfortable about the idea of someone staring at them nude for several hours, especially if their portrait goes on display." Not that he had any intention of displaying anything he decided to do of Naruto. That was his moment with him, meant for no one else.

Naruto shrugged. "Skin is just skin, an arm is no different from from a thigh, nothing... _erotic_ about it unless you want there to be, ne?" He smirked slightly at the end of the statement.

Gaara growled and pulled him closer. "I can't believe you were teasing me the entire time. Do you know how..." He brought his face to Naruto's ear, whispering his breath against it. "Hot...that made me?"

Naruto smirked, one hand giving a light squeeze to Gaara's crotch. "That was the point, smart one."

Gaara swept his foot to knock Naruto over, getting him gently to the ground before putting his weight on him. The blanket was now tangled around the both of them. "You're not supposed to distract the artist."

"So when do I get to see the artist's great masterpiece?" he asked with a smirk, managing to throw Gaara's weight and flip them.

"Ones with you in them are special. I'm not even going to let _you_ see them until I finish a series." Gaara relaxed into Naruto's hold and kissed him playfully.

Naruto pouted before kissing him back. "Fine, torture the poor model. Doomed to have to wait to see their portrayal in the world of art," he replied dramatically.

"I might just keep them for myself. I probably won't want to share you with the world just yet."

--

It was remarkable. Over a period of three weeks, Gaara couldn't ever remember finishing so many non-commissioned paintings in his life. True to his word he refused to let Naruto see them, convinced they were never finished. A week later, Naruto returned home from work one night with the painting of Gaara and Shiva in his living room, along with an envelope filled with several hundred-dollar bills. In it was a small note. '_For my muse and model. Gaara._'

Naruto gasped when he saw the painting and the money. "I told him he didn't have to pay me for this," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "And how the hell did he even get in here?" He smiled at the picture, though, walking over to his closet and opening it. He pulled out a box, setting it on the kitchen table. Opening it, he pulled out some black and white fabric, threads, and needles. He sketched out a pattern on a piece of paper before starting to cut the fabric.

Gaara was just as shocked one day when Naruto handed him a box before he got into position for a new pose. He looked at the box. "What's this?"

Naruto just smiled slightly. "Open it and find out."

Gaara opened it, shuffling the tissue inside before pulling out a miniature plushie raccoon. Gaara looked back up at Naruto, unsure of what to say. It was the first time he had ever been given a present before.

Naruto tilted his head. "Like it? I told you I have a plushie obsession."

Gaara smiled. "I love it."

For the next several weeks, Naruto always saw the raccoon plushie he had given Gaara positioned at the center of the bed. Almost a month had passed, and while Gaara remained happy, it became harder and harder for him to hide his 'side job.' Naruto would see new bruises and cuts on Gaara from time to time that he always dismissed as rough-housing with Shiva, even though Naruto only saw her calm and stoic as Gaara usually was. He could not imagine her hurting Gaara even in play; she was too protective. Mysterious calls on his private cell phone, his serious tone with them. Gaara had been showing him around the rest of the mansion one day when that call came. "I told you not to call me today. No...yes I could... I want sixty percent...yes..."

Naruto was trying not to eavesdrop when he spotted Gaara's will on his desk. "G-gaara?" he asked, calling out to him. "What's that?"

"Wednesday then," Gaara clicked the phone off and looked over towards the document. He silently cursed himself for leaving it out, but he had recently changed over most of his possessions to Temari and Kankuro, especially since they were now much closer. Gaara covered it before Naruto could see the money he would leave to Naruto if anything happened. "My will. I...My manager suggested it after my first showcase in the museum. Insurance purposes and all that."

Gaara rolled the parchment away, thinking back on it. The fight leaders all told them the same thing; if you died in a fight, you disappeared. His will claimed that if he were to disappear for more than six months under any condition, the will would take affect.

Naruto gave him the look he usually gave him when he suspected he was lying, but said nothing else. "So, are we ever going to finish this little tour?" he asked, forcing his smile back onto his face. It didn't quite reach his eyes, however. Why would Gaara have a will? And when did he ever listen to other people's suggestions?

Gaara could tell whenever Naruto didn't fully believe him because his smile would be fake, he didn't know how he knew, but he did. He led Naruto out and showed him the last room he had yet to see, his ice cavern room.

Naruto followed quietly, feeling more subdued. '_Wills, death, violence, blood, sadness, alone._' The thoughts ran through his head like a twisted mantra, flashbacks of his childhood ripping through his mind.

Gaara was showing him the blue glass that surrounded them like icicles, natural ambient music playing gently, when he noticed the hurt look in Naruto's eyes. "Are you alright?" He asked, running a hand behind Naruto's neck.

Naruto jumped back a good two feet at the sudden touch, head whipping around to look at Gaara, eyes wide and hands in a defensive position. He seemed to realize his surroundings and came back to the present with a gasp, hands dropping to his sides. "Sorry about that... what did you ask me?"

Gaara dropped his hand, worried. "I asked if you were alright. What's wrong?" Gaara's face flattened.

"Nothing," he lied, attempting to smile, but having it turn out more like a grimace. "I'm fine."

Gaara held into his shoulders, forcing him to look at him. "No you're not. What's wrong?" Was it something that he did?

"Just drop it, Gaara, please?" he had a pleading look in his eyes. "I'm fine, seriously." '_Note to self, make another counseling appointment,_' he thought.

"Yeah, sure..." And so they dropped it.

Things ran rather smoothly afterwards, and they parted with Gaara dropping him off at the circus for the show, having gone to a late lunch in between Naruto's break. Gaara turned to Naruto and gave him a kiss. "I won't be able to see you for the next couple days, I have business with some clients in another state. I should be back by Friday, on your day off. Good luck." He gave Naruto another kiss.

Naruto nodded, kissing him back. "Thanks. You too, sell lots of paintings. Call me!" He darted off to get ready.

Gaara sat for a moment in the car, watching him go in. God, he hated lying to him. True, he was making a deal on some of his paintings, but he would be back on Wednesday for a fight. He pulled out his phone. "Hey...he wants me to fight one of the champions?" Gaara tensed. As good a fighter as he was, championship matches usually left him with far too many injuries to dismiss easily. He hadn't taken one since the first night he invited Naruto to his place. "I don't know, let me think about it..."

--


	8. Lives Collide

_A/N: Heyyy everyone! Sorry this update took so long. It's been sitting on xkidrogue's computer for aaages now. But she hasn't had an internet connection! T.T Fail much? Anyway... Here it is, finally! Enjoy!!_

**CHAPTER 8: Lives Collide**

Naruto's show went smoothly until the very end he looked out into the audience and saw pale skin, raven black hair. He froze for a moment. '_It can't be..._' He almost missed his footing from shock, but caught himself at the last minute, staring at the boy. '_Sasuke... why are you here?_'

The figure in the crowd smirked and disappeared back into the crowd. Almost as if it had been a dream. Almost.

Naruto shook it off, giving the audience one last smile before hopping down onto the net and running back behind the curtain.

Kakashi ushered in the next act before turning to Naruto. "That was great, but you almost lost it at the end. I thought we were past the falling-into-the-audience stage. It's not making a return is it?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, I just thought I saw someone I used to know. I'll be better tomorrow, Kakashi-sensei. Dattebayo!"

Kakashi patted him reassuringly on the back. "You were doing great tonight, Naruto. Keep it up!"

Temari came up, putting the finishing touches on her new costume. "Hey, you did great out there. You're leaving for tonight, right?"

Naruto nodded. "Um, yeah, why? I've got no reason to stay tonight..."

Temari smiled. "Hey, I was just wondering. I thought Gaara might show up to pick you up tonight. I'm glad you two are getting along so well. I've never seen Gaara...happy, you know? Perhaps content, but never happy."

"Thanks. He's really cool. But he won't let me see the paintings he put me in." Naruto smiled but then frowned. "He's on a business trip. He'll be back soon enough though..."

Naruto thought that he saw Temari's smile slip a little. "Oh, well then, I guess you'll see him later. Have a good night!" She smiled, trying to recover.

Naruto looked at her questioningly. "What's wrong? What aren't either of you telling me? I know he's hiding something."

Temari shook her head. "I just worry, that's all. The doctor told us it was best if he stayed in one area, that's all." She said, knowing that Gaara had told him about the doctor at least.

Naruto nodded, not fully believing the story. "Oh, okay then... Anyway, I should probably go."

She smiled. "See you later."

Naruto left and went out into the parking lot, cursing his habit of parking at the far end of the lot. He was to his motorcycle when he heard movement behind him. "Hello Naruto."

Naruto's blood ran cold and he spun around. "What do you want, Sasuke? Why are you here!?"

Sasuke stepped away from the car he was leaning on, arms out, as if he were saying 'I'm harmless'. "Hey, it's just me. I moved here a couple months ago, but I had no idea you would be here. When I saw your picture on one of the fliers for the circus, I decided to say hi. It's been a while."

"Riiight. Well, you've said 'hi'. Now leave me alone. You're not part of my life anymore." '_You've been replaced by something, no, someone so much better._' he thought.

Sasuke looked genuinely ashamed, and hurt. "I...I actually came here to apologize. I've been seeing a therapist for a while, and I just felt so guilty, it bothered me. We used to be friends, but it was my fault. I ruined that and I'm sorry." Sasuke kept his eyes down on the ground. He NEVER apologized for anything in his life, he was normally too arrogant. "I wanted to make it up to you somehow."

"You can make it up by leaving me alone. I don't need you anymore. Please, just leave me alone." Naruto really didn't need the reminders of his past. He was finally getting over it. He didn't need this. Not now.

Sasuke looked up at him, desperate, but maintaining his distance. "Please, let me at least buy you something to eat. Just to talk. Please. I know it won't make up for what I put you through, but please."

"Fine. Meet me at Ichiraku in half an hour." He didn't want to be anywhere alone with him. "And if you try anything... I pity his wrath on you."

"Who?" Sasuke asked.

"My... boyfriend." True, they weren't an official couple. But they were as good as, right?

"Oh? That's great! I'm glad you found someone." Sasuke rubbed his neck, visibly more relaxed. He seemed really happy for him. Maybe his therapist was working wonders after all. "What's his name?"

Naruto debated mentally whether to tell Sasuke or not. "Gaara. Sabaku no Gaara. He's an artist."

Sasuke's face fell flat, recovering before Naruto could see, giving him his best fake smile. It was working so far. "I've seen some of his work, at the museum! Are you serious? That's great! Well, I guess I'll see you at Ichiraku's."

"Um... yeah..." _'When did he get so... happy?_' He got on his bike and drove off, not going home, instead settling for driving around the park for a bit. He didn't trust Sasuke to not follow him home.

Sasuke got into his car, a deadly anger fuming off of him in waves. '_Gaara..._' He remembered that name. The crazy piece of shit that nearly killed him in one of the illegal matches almost a year ago. '_Naruto is dating __**that**__? Over me?_' He was Jesus Christ compared to that devil. He thought back to that fight, the bloodlust in Gaara's eyes, the absolute lack of a soul. He only survived because one of the leaders stepped in, knowing the Uchiha name. Sasuke smirked, heading straight to the noodle restaurant he saw Naruto go to the most often. He had been tailing him for a week, watching his work habits, but he never in all his life guessed that the one he was spending so much time with was the Sabaku no Gaara. Now he knew where they both lived. '_I'll get revenge _and_ Naruto,_' he thought smugly.

Naruto arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early and headed in quickly, hoping they got a spot in the center of the restaurant and not wanting to be alone with Sasuke. He had been calm... too calm. It was more than slightly creepy.

Sasuke waved from a booth in the corner. "Hey, I was wondering when you would show up." He was drinking tea, obviously having ordered drinks already. "Do you want some tea?"

Naruto sighed walking over to him. "No thanks, I'm fine."

"I saved you a menu, I already ordered." His eyes looked peaceful, relieved. "I'm glad you came."

"I said I'd come. I don't break my word," '_Unlike you,_' was implied. "So, how have you been lately?"

"Well, after you left, I decided that I needed to pull my shit together. I went to therapy, got sober." He showed Naruto his arms, free of any recent track marks. The only ones there were old and scarred. "See? No more drugs, I've been clean for almost two years." His voice dropped. "What about you? How have you been?"

"Better. Gaara's gotten my self image up a lot. And I don't think about... back then as much."

Sasuke looked away, ashamed. "You really didn't deserve any of that. From them or me."

"No, I didn't." His tone was cold. He would not pity Sasuke. Sasuke wasn't always ignorant, some of the times he knew what he was doing. What he was doing to Naruto.

Sasuke saw the look. The one that told him it would be much harder this time around. He scratched his head, looking around to make sure no one heard. "You know I'm no good at apologies, but I am sorry. I know that it wasn't just the drugs; that was the main reason I went into therapy. I knew it was fucked up, and more often than not, I knew what I was doing. I've changed though. It wasn't easy."

"People don't change, people's perceptions of people is all that changes, Sasuke-san. You'd do well to remember that lesson."

They ate in silence for a while, Sasuke remaining friendly, but quiet. After a moment, Sasuke set down his fork. "I want us to be friends again, the way it was before I...betrayed you. I know I did, and I'm sorry."

"You want to be friends with me? How do I know you won't just do it all again? How do I know you're really sorry? People say things all the time they don't mean!" He was practically yelling by the end of the statement. Sasuke had a lot of balls to just show up like this after all this time.

"I know, and you have a right to be angry. The only way you will know though, is to talk to me. Test me, whatever you want. I've just always been ashamed of what happened. I want to show you that's not me anymore."

He sounded honest. Naruto wanted to believe him. Sasuke was his childhood best friend. The first one to ever care. "Fine. I'll give you one chance. But try _ANYTHING_ and you're out of my life. Permanently. I won't hesitate to get a restraining order, Sasuke, believe me."

Sasuke nodded. "I wouldn't expect you to do any less."

The waitress came and Naruto placed his order. "So, how'd you come to be here tonight anyway? Like... why'd you move here?"

Sasuke had this one down pat, glad that if Naruto checked it would all be true. "My brother wanted me to switch here and work for the new stockbroker business that was recently set up. He trained me after I got sober."

"Stockbroker!?" He snorted. "I can _not _see you in a business suit!"

"It's true. I have work tomorrow, but I get off around seven. Are you busy? I could show you what I look like in a suit." He smiled. "Maybe I could even meet your boyfriend."

"Um, we've got plans for tomorrow already," he lied. "Maybe some other day?"

"Aww, come on. We could go to the movies or something, I could bring a date. Or you can just tell him that you want to catch up with your friend."

Naruto bit his lip, caving in. "Just you and me. Dinner. Nothing more. It's not a date, just a meeting of friends. No movie. Just a meal."

"Okay, no problem. We could go to the bar and grill by my work, it's not too far. I'd say about fifteen minutes from here." Sasuke smiled. It took him the longest to perfect these damn happy looks, but it was worth it to see that Naruto was relaxing, even if only a little. If he was going to get him back, he had to take it slow.

"Um... sure... What time?" Sasuke smiling was slightly unnerving. But he figured he would give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Well, you could meet me outside my work building at seven fifteen and we could walk from there."

"Um... how about I just meet you there at like seven thirty? The one on tenth street, right?" He didn't want to be walking with him alone. In the dark.

"Yeah! Harrison's, right? Have you been there before?"

Naruto shrugged. "Seen it, never been in it. I've no reason to a place like that usually, I don't drink." Again the 'unlike you' was implied.

Sasuke looked surprised. "You don't drink anymore?"

"It's a nasty habit that serves no purpose other than to dull the senses, cloud the mind, and make even the nicest men turn cruel." '_And let you escape from the pain. Which I don't have to deal with anymore,_' he added mentally.

Sasuke nodded his head. "I can understand that, I guess. The grill is the real gem anyway. They serve the best food."

"Like I said, I wouldn't know." The food finally came and Naruto ate, content to eat in silence.

Sasuke kept the silence as well, looking up from time to time until the bill came. He paid it and stood. "I'm glad to see you're doing well Naruto. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, bye." He left the restaurant, wondering to himself. '_What the hell just happened?_' He drove in circles on his bike for a while, clearing his head, and shaking anyone tailing him, before going home.


End file.
